KOTA KINABALU: The rough-toothed dolphin washed ashore at the Kampung Pintasan beach in Kota Belud yesterday has died of stomach complications after ingesting a squid jig.
Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) assistant director Dr Sen Nathan told the New Straits Times that a post mortem revealed that the eight-inch squid jig was imbedded in the mammal's stomach, causing severe trauma and other complications.
"This adult male dolphin could not eat properly and died of septicaemia caused by the severe wound that the squid jig inflicted in the dolphin's stomach.
"It was a fresh carcass...We estimated it probably died within 24 hours (since being washed ashore). But the jig had been in the stomach for some time," he said when contacted.
Yesterday, a Facebook user shared photographs of the carcass of a steno bredanensis (rough toothed dolphin), estimated around six feet in length.
Policeman Ismail Daud, via his Facebook account named, 'Ishee Ishmael', also shared a video recording of the discovery made sometime after 4pm.
Ismail, 42, said he had stopped by the beach with his family when they stumbled upon the carcass.
"At first I thought it was a piece of wood... We only realised what it was when we got nearer," he said, adding that it was his first time seeing a dolphin upclose in person.