“A dugong which captured the hearts of Thailand has been found dead with pieces of plastic in its digestive system.
“The animal – a type of mammal that is sometimes thought to be the source of the mermaid myth – had become nationally famous after it was “adopted” by the public when it was discovered alone, without its parents.
“Last week, the mammal, which has been named Mariam, was found ill and was refusing to eat, losing a lot of weight.
“On Saturday, it died and a post-mortem involving 10 vets determined it was killed by plastic it had eaten.
“One of the vets who took care of the dugong, Nantarika Chansue, said on Facebook: “Many pieces of small plastic clogged her intestines and caused inflammation, leading to blood infection and inflamed lungs.””
Read more at Sky News
