A male sea cow or dugong was found dead in Glan, Sarangani.

No physical trauma was seen aside from slight scratches on its back but the dugong reportedly died because of the fish net it has eaten, as shown in the necropsy result.

“Natuklasan doon sa bituka nung juvenile dugong na namatay, may mga nakain pero isa doon sa nakain niya is fish net. ‘Yun po yung sanhi ng pagkamatay niya,” said Shalimar Disomangcop, head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Sarangani.

The dugong was 137 centimeters long and weighed 60 kilos.

It was residents who reported the presence of the dugong to the Bantay-Dagat and the latter coordinated with the Protected Area Management Office (PAMO).

Authorities reminded the public of their responsibility in the conservation of marine biodiversity.

“Yung ating mga gamit sa pangingisda, huwag hayaan na itapon sa dagat kasi may sea animals, sea mammals, maaaring mapagkamalang pagkain,” Disomangcop said.

The dugong is now under the custody of the conservation center of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-12.