at the airport a very unusual passenger arrives on a late night flight. the badly hurt baby dugong is just days old. it was found separated from his mum
How To Adopt A Baby In Australia Qld, off the coast of north queensland. this little guy is facing an uphill battle. he's stressed and he needs around the clock feeding and attention. it's probably a bit thin, a bit dehydrated
hasn't eaten for maybe days. he probably got those wounds from the tusks of other males. calves that stay with their mums rarely suffer these nasty attacks. he was probably orphaned shortly after his birth. a check over reveals more wounds and a fresh umbilicus point. finally it is back in the water for his first feed. it's a massive shock to his system to be without his mum and out of the ocean. but sea world dugong carer wendy blanchard
is patient. it takes her all night to get him to take even a little of the milk. which is a veterinary mammal formula mixed with coconut cream for extra fat content and some antibiotics dugong's are listed as a vulnerable species. over the past 30 years their numbers have plummeted 60 percent
the fact that this little one is starting to take the milk is a good sign.
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