Malaysia, Sabah: Dead dolphin, found on a beach in Kota Belud

KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 24 Dec 16;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) is checking on a dolphin’s carcass found washed up on a beach in Kampung Pintasan, Kota Belud.

Facebook user, Ishee Ishmael, posted, “Dolfin terdampar… pertama sekali seumur hidup nampak secara live… tapi sayang sudah mati” (Stranded dolphin… saw one live for the first time in life… unfortunately it is dead).

He also shared several shots of the mammal this afternoon as well as a video recording of his discovery.

SWD assistant director Dr Sen Nathan when contacted said the Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit team has been deployed to the location to investigate and collect the carcass.

“We will conduct a post-mortem as soon as possible.

“The public should contact the department or alert the authorities should they stumble upon a case like this, which is related to wildlife,” he said.


Stranded dolphin died of stomach complications, says Sabah Wildlife Department
KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 25 Dec 16;

KOTA KINABALU: The rough-toothed dolphin washed ashore at the Kampung Pintasan beach in Kota Belud yesterday has died of stomach complications after ingesting a squid jig.

Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) assistant director Dr Sen Nathan told the New Straits Times that a post mortem revealed that the eight-inch squid jig was imbedded in the mammal's stomach, causing severe trauma and other complications.

"This adult male dolphin could not eat properly and died of septicaemia caused by the severe wound that the squid jig inflicted in the dolphin's stomach.

"It was a fresh carcass...We estimated it probably died within 24 hours (since being washed ashore).

But the jig had been in the stomach for some time," he said when contacted. Yesterday, a Facebook user shared photographs of the carcass of a steno bredanensis (rough toothed dolphin), estimated around six feet in length.

Policeman Ismail Daud, via his Facebook account named, 'Ishee Ishmael', also shared a video recording of the discovery made sometime after 4pm.

Ismail, 42, said he had stopped by the beach with his family when they stumbled upon the carcass.

"At first I thought it was a piece of wood... We only realised what it was when we got nearer," he said, adding that it was his first time seeing a dolphin upclose in person.


Dolphin may have died from fishing hook infection
The Star 27 Dec 16;

KOTA KINABALU: The rough-toothed dolphin that washed onto the shore of Kampung Pintasan was likely to have died due to infections caused by indigestion after it consumed a squid attached on a hook.

Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said that an eight-inch long hook attached to a squid was found embedded in the stomach of the male adult dolphin during the post-mortem.

“It caused severe trauma and other complications and it died of septicemia (infection) and starvation as it could not eat properly or digest its food,” he said yesterday.

Dr Sen said it could be possible that the dolphin had suffered for at least a month before it died.

“It’s sad to see such a beautiful marine wildlife lose its life due to possible human folly even if it was caused indirectly,” he said.

It was possible the dolphin could have bitten into the squid attached to a hook from an angler or fishermen, he added.

The department’s director Augus­tine Tuuga said it sent its wildlife rescue team to the scene after a Facebook user highlighted the pre­sence of the dolphin carcass along the shore of Kampung Pintasan on Christmas Eve.

Witnesses who see this kind of marine mammals beaching can call the department hotline at 012-801 9289 or send an email to rhinosbh@gmail.com.



Squid jig found in stomach of dolphin carcass
The Star 26 Dec 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Fresh carcass of an adult male Rough Toothed dolphin was found on the shore at Kampung Pintasan, Kota Belud, about 75km from here, on the night of Christmas eve with a squid jig stuck in its stomach.

Sabah Wildlife Director Augustine Tuuga said the squid jig measuring eight inches was embedded in the stomach causing severe trauma and other complications.

"We immediately dispatched our Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) to further investigate this case and to find out what happened to the dolphin.

"Though it was Christmas eve, WRU had a team on standby to attend to these kind of cases," he said in a statement here.

Sabah Wildlife Assistant Director Dr Sen Nathan said the WRU team brought the carcass back to Kota Kinabalu for post mortem and was saddened by the discovery of the squid jig.

He said the metal jig, used for catching squid, also led to septicemia (blood poisoning) and starvation, resulting in the mammal's death.

"It is sad to see such a beautiful marine wildlife lose its life due to human folly, even if it was indirectly related.

"I would like to also advise the general public that if they do come across this kind of marine mammal beaching in the future, do give the Sabah Wildlife Department a call at 0128019289 or email us at rhinosbh@gmail.com," he said. - Bernama