Beloved baby dugong 'Mariam' dies in Thailand with plastic in stomach


Bangkok (AFP): A sick baby dugong whose fight for recovery won hearts in Thailand and cast a spotlight on ocean conservation has died from an infection exacerbated by bits of plastic lining her stomach, officials said Saturday (Aug 17).

Mariam washed up in shallow waters off southwestern Thailand months ago and photos of her nuzzling playfully next to rescuers quickly went viral.

The Star Festive Promo: Get 35% OFF Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Regional

Jimmy Lai to be sentenced on Monday in Hong Kong national security trial
Chinese AI firms defend safety practices, push back on Western criticism
Chinese AI goes next level in geometry at a top US maths Olympiad
Chinese quadriplegic runs farm with just one finger
Hotels allege predatory pricing, forced exclusivity in�Trip.com antitrust probe
DeepSeek technique to improve AI’s ability to ‘read’ long texts questioned by new research
Uber’s quest to crack Japan leads through a rural hot-springs town
Inside China's buzzing AI scene year after DeepSeek shock
OpenAI expects another ‘seismic shock’ from China amid speculation of new DeepSeek release
An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China

Others Also Read