Dolphin may have died from fishing hook infection

The Rough Tooted Dolphin that was washed into Kg Pintasan shore in Kota Kinabalu on Christmas eve

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 [e-mail].