Thursday, December 04, 2008 Agri personnel rescue 'Dugong'
THE fishery and environment offices have taken care a wounded baby Sea Cow, locally known as "dugong", which was rescued by authorities last week.
The injured Sea Cow is now at the hatchery of the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) in Barangay Rio Hondo after personnel from the City Agriculture rescued it last week.
City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat said the Sea Cow will have to stay temporarily in the hatchery until after its wounds is totally healed.
He said the Sea Cow sustained wounds when it was found near the shore of Baliwasan village.
The Sea Cow is an herbivorous mammal that inhabits rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands.
Palacat said the Sea Cow was the second to be rescued in the country. The first was rescued in Iloilo City.
He said Mayor Celso Lobregat has contracted the services of two wildlife experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Manila to look into the situation of the rescued Sea Cow.
He said the Sea Cow was named "Zam" for Zamboanga, being the place of its refuge. (Bong Garcia)
