Sea World diver struck by dugong
Thursday Feb 8 19:14 AEDT
Gold Coast tourist attraction Sea World has offered counselling to a diver struck in the head and neck by a 240kg dugong and to the staff who rescued him.
The 35-year-old diver was rushed to hospital in a neck brace after the dugong, named Pig, became entangled in dive equipment while his tank was being cleaned on Thursday morning.
It's a bizarre incident because dugongs are normally placid but curious creatures of the sea.
"They show no malice at any time but they are quite inquisitive," Sea World marine sciences manager Sxxxx McCxxxx told reporters.
"They end up close to the divers when they're doing their routine work."
The diver, whose name was not released, suffered bruising and ligament damage to the neck area. He is expected back at work on Wednesday.
"We've offered counselling to him and the other staff that retrieved him (from the tank)," Mr McCxxxx said.
"It could've been much worse. It just shows their pure power from their weight."
Unfortunately, Pig did not emerge unscathed from the drama.
"He ended up with a small nick (on his back) which we expect to heal over in the next few days," Mr McCxxxx reported.
Mr McCourt said Pig was already back doing what he does best - eating. Pig and his mate Wuru consume a staggering 100kg of lettuce a day.
"There's no hard feelings," Mr McCxxxx joked.
"These guys are lean, mean eating machines and, basically, they're just back to it."
The diver was window cleaning the tank just before 8am (AEST) when Pig got caught in a regulator cord and panicked in a "flight response".
The eight-year-old dugong then partly left the water and landed on the diver on re-entry.
It's unsure whether Pig's tail or body struck the man, who's been working at Sea World for 17 years.
The victim's two fellow divers set off the alarm and rescued their colleague as the park's emergency response team undertook a full spinal retrieval.
The diver remained conscious during the terrifying ordeal.
Mr McCxxxx said safety procedures for maintenance of the dugong enclosure would be reviewed in the wake of the accident.
Pig has resided on and off at Sea World since his rescue shortly after birth by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) officers in north Queensland in November 1998.
He was the world's first hand raised, rehabilitated and released dugong, but was returned to Sea World six months after his initial release due to illness and inability to assimilate with a wild dugong herd.
In November 2002, eight months after being released into Moreton Bay, Pig was found in Days Gutter, adjacent to the Kooringal township at the southern end of Moreton Island.
He was in a seriously malnourished state, and also had multiple injuries consistent with tusk wounds inflicted by another male dugong.
In October 2004, Sea World was granted permission from the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (QEPA) to transfer Pig off the Rescue Permit under which he was hand-raised and released, and onto Sea World's Wildlife Exhibitor's Licence.
INFORMATION ON DUGONG'S CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugong
Thursday Feb 8 19:14 AEDT
Gold Coast tourist attraction Sea World has offered counselling to a diver struck in the head and neck by a 240kg dugong and to the staff who rescued him.
The 35-year-old diver was rushed to hospital in a neck brace after the dugong, named Pig, became entangled in dive equipment while his tank was being cleaned on Thursday morning.
It's a bizarre incident because dugongs are normally placid but curious creatures of the sea.
"They show no malice at any time but they are quite inquisitive," Sea World marine sciences manager Sxxxx McCxxxx told reporters.
"They end up close to the divers when they're doing their routine work."
The diver, whose name was not released, suffered bruising and ligament damage to the neck area. He is expected back at work on Wednesday.
"We've offered counselling to him and the other staff that retrieved him (from the tank)," Mr McCxxxx said.
"It could've been much worse. It just shows their pure power from their weight."
Unfortunately, Pig did not emerge unscathed from the drama.
"He ended up with a small nick (on his back) which we expect to heal over in the next few days," Mr McCxxxx reported.
Mr McCourt said Pig was already back doing what he does best - eating. Pig and his mate Wuru consume a staggering 100kg of lettuce a day.
"There's no hard feelings," Mr McCxxxx joked.
"These guys are lean, mean eating machines and, basically, they're just back to it."
The diver was window cleaning the tank just before 8am (AEST) when Pig got caught in a regulator cord and panicked in a "flight response".
The eight-year-old dugong then partly left the water and landed on the diver on re-entry.
It's unsure whether Pig's tail or body struck the man, who's been working at Sea World for 17 years.
The victim's two fellow divers set off the alarm and rescued their colleague as the park's emergency response team undertook a full spinal retrieval.
The diver remained conscious during the terrifying ordeal.
Mr McCxxxx said safety procedures for maintenance of the dugong enclosure would be reviewed in the wake of the accident.
Pig has resided on and off at Sea World since his rescue shortly after birth by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) officers in north Queensland in November 1998.
He was the world's first hand raised, rehabilitated and released dugong, but was returned to Sea World six months after his initial release due to illness and inability to assimilate with a wild dugong herd.
In November 2002, eight months after being released into Moreton Bay, Pig was found in Days Gutter, adjacent to the Kooringal township at the southern end of Moreton Island.
He was in a seriously malnourished state, and also had multiple injuries consistent with tusk wounds inflicted by another male dugong.
In October 2004, Sea World was granted permission from the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (QEPA) to transfer Pig off the Rescue Permit under which he was hand-raised and released, and onto Sea World's Wildlife Exhibitor's Licence.
INFORMATION ON DUGONG'S CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugong
