Dolphin ‘may be victim of epidemic&’

AO MAKHAM: Efforts by villagers, tourists and biologists to save a sick dolphin have been in vain, and a scientist has warned that more of the sick animals may be expected to wash up on Phuket’s shores, the victims of some kind of epidemic. The aging two-meter female striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), which was rescued from the beach at Karon on Wednesday, washed up again yesterday at Ao Yon. This time there was no saving it. It died within hours. On Wednesday, the dolphin beached at Karon and was unable to swim away. After treating it with medication and nutrients, biologists at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) freed the dolphin. Yesterday, after being found at Ao Yon, the animal was taken back to the PMBC, but died soon after. An autopsy showed the animal had serious kidney, respiratory and circulatory problems. PMBC biologist Kongkiat Kittiwattawong said that the dolphin may have died from some communicable disease. He pointed out that another dolphin of the same species, which washed up a few weeks ago, and which also died, was found in an autopsy to be suffering from the same problems. “We may have more sick dolphins washing up in Phuket,” he warned.