Cyber Diver News Network 19 Apr 10;
KOROR, Palau — Three dugongs this year were found dead and at least two of them are believed to have died due to illegal dynamite.
Mandy Etpison, who coordinates the 2010 Palau Dugong Awareness Campaign on behalf of the French Embassy said that in January there was a report of dead dugong being cut up by Palauans at the Ngardmau Dock.
The second incident was that on March 6, kayakers camping on Ngeremdiu beach reported a dead juvenile dugong floating and that craters along the beach indicated illegal dynamite use in the area.
The latest death was a floating dugong found in Mekeald area in Koror, on April 2.
Etpison said that the dugong was spotted by Palau Helicopter pilot Matt.
The dead dugong was brought in by the boat to the Neco Marine dock and reported to the Koror State Rangers Bureau of Marine Resources.
The Koror State veterinarian Mihnea Muresanu with the assistance of the Civic Action Team medic and the Coral Reef Foundation conducted a necropsy on the animal.
According to the report the cause of death is believed to be heart failure caused by explosives thrown in the water nearby.
The necropsy also noted that the animal had dead for at least two days.
Etpison in a statement said that she hopes "the authorities continue to sample and examine future confiscated or reported dugongs and that they will address the urgent problem of illegal dynamite use which is more common in Palau than people realize."
She added that dynamite not only causes harm to the highly endangered dugong population in Palau but also to coral reefs and wrappings from dynamite have been found on Rock Island beaches.
Etpison said that the brand of the dynamite is imported from the Philippines and was reportedly used in the past by Daewoo and currently by at least one local quarry.
