A dugong has washed up on the shores of Myanmar, according to images posted on social media that are being shared widely.
Photos of the mammal, a species of manitee commonly referred to as a ‘sea cow’ for its habit of grazing on the ocean’s floor, were uploaded to several Facebook accounts on Thursday.
WWF is looking into the case but a representative said that from the images available it appears the dugong was tangled in fishing wire.
Threatened by pollution, hunting, fishing and seabed degredation, the dugong is listed as vulnerable to extinction, according to WWF.
Posts on social media did not specify the location of the beach or the day when the mammal washed up on it. Whether the dugong was pushed back out to sea or died was also not clear.
WWF is looking into the case.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available
Photo / Facebook / Soe Min Aye
