An attempt on rearing a dugong calf (Dugong dugon) and its behaviors

Abstract

Within one month, a female dugong calf (Dugong dugon) of 107 cm long had twice been stranded at Paklok sub-district, Phuket province, on 3 February 2004 and 2 March 2004. Firstly, it was released back to the sea and secondly transferred to be reared at Phuket Marine Biological Center. The calf carried a large wound on its muzzle and the wound completely healed after medical care within 2 months. Milk, in a concentration of 15-30 g of powdered milk made up to 100 cc in volume, had been offered to the calf 4-5 times a day, starting from 100 cc and then gradually increasing to 500 cc. Its behaviors were intensively observed 24 hours, 4 times during 15-30 March 2004. It was found that the minimum breathing interval times were 1 second in 24 hours during daytime (06.00-17.59) and 2 seconds during nighttime (18.00-05.59) while the maximum was 559 seconds (24 hours and nighttime). The minimum: maximum numbers of diving time, per hour were 29:97 (24 hours and daytime) and 30:82 (nighttime). It seemed that in a weak condition, the calf frequently surfaced to breath and could not dive for long period as in a normal condition. The gastrointestinal tract and lungs of the calf were severly infected by bacteria and it died after 79 days of the keeping period.