The dolphin passed away last night (Dec 5), one member of the PMBC veterinarian team who was caring for the dolphin told The Phuket News today.
“The actual cause of death has not yet been confirmed. We are working on verifying the cause of death now,” she said.
The same biologist, on the condition she not be named, today also said that PMBC experts had yet to confirm whether or not the floating pieces of white substance vomited by the dolphin on Monday were pieces of plastic.
“The pieces of plastic (reported) in previous news has not yet been confirmed. We need to check and confirm it in the lab first,” the PMBC biologist said.
The lack of clarity from marine experts on whether or not the dolphin vomited plastic follows a photo posted online clearly showing the pieces of substance expelled by the dolphin.
The photo was posted in a comment on the ThaiWhales conservation group Facebook page. The comment and photo have now been removed. (See here.)
The removal of the comment also follows Yanapon Chaiwootti, who posted the comment and photo, confirming to The Phuket News this afternoon that he is not a membe of the conservation group.
He has since retracted the claim the the peices of white substance were plastic.
“I apologise for the misunderstanding. I am just a volunteer with other volunteers,” he said.
“After I saw the white piece of in glass, I thought it was plastic. But that has not been confirmed yet. We have to wait for the Phuket Marine Biological Centre to confirm what it is,” he said.
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