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A dolphin cub who drowned in a tide pool in Thailand is recovering after being cared for.
The Irrawaddy calf was sick and too weak to swim – spotted by fishermen, who alerted marine experts and took them to an expert centre in Rayong.
Nicknamed Paradon, which roughly translates to “brother’s burden,” the dolphins are placed in saltwater tanks, treated for lung infections, and observed by volunteers around the clock.
He had to be put in his tank and fed milk through a tube.
Veterinarian Thanaphan Chomchuen said: “We said to each other that from his condition, his chances of surviving were very low.
“Usually, dolphins that are found stranded on the shore are usually in such bad shape.
“The chances of these dolphins surviving are usually very, very slim. But we gave him our best try that day.”
A month after being rescued, Paradon’s condition is improving.
He is believed to be between four and six months old, able to swim again and has no signs of infection, although he remains weak and is not drinking enough milk despite feedings every 20 minutes.
Thippunyar Thipjuntar, a 32-year-old financial adviser, was one of those who volunteered to look after Paradon.
She said that the round baby face, the curved corners of the mouth, and the smile that is not a smile made her fall in love with him involuntarily.
“He’s not eating enough, he just wants to play. I’m worried he’s not getting enough nutrition,” she told The Associated Press, cradling her arms while feeding a sleepy Palaton.
“When you put in your time, strength, spirit and money to volunteer here, of course you want him to get strong and survive.”
Sumana Kajonwattanakul, director of the Oceanographic Research Centre, said Paradon will need long-term care, possibly up to a year, until he is weaned and able to find food on his own.
“If we don’t let him go until he’s better, the problem is he can’t drink milk. We have to take care of him until he has teeth and then we have to train him to eat fish, to be part of the pod. It’s going to take quite a while, ‘ said Ms Sumana.
The Irrawaddy dolphin is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and lives in shallow coastal waters in South and Southeast Asia and in three rivers in Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia.
Their survival is threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal fishing.
Officials at the Marine Research Center believe there are still about 400 Irrawaddy dolphins on the country’s east coast, which borders Cambodia.
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