Baby dugong found dead on beach

ANOTHER marine animal has been found dead on a Fraser Coast beach in a year that has seen record numbers of dead turtles and dugongs.

Wildlife Preservation Society Fraser Coast chapter president Carolyn Bussey said a baby dugong had been found dead on a Burrum Heads beach, less than two months after an adult dugong washed up on a Pialba beach.

The baby dugong brings the 2011 tally of dugong strandings to 21 in total, compared to only 6 in 2010.

Across Queensland, Only Townsville has recorded a higher number of dugong strandings at 52 so far this year.

For turtles, Hervey Bay has recorded 94 strandings, compared to 65 last year.

A whale was also found washed up on Fraser Island this year and another young whale stranded itself on the Boonooroo coast line.

Residual effects from the January floods have been blamed for the spike in marine animal deaths.

As the main food source for both turtles and dugongs, the flood damage to seagrass beds has heavily impacted both species.

Water quality in the local rivers has also been blamed for creating silt runoff which can kill seagrass.

"It is very important to have healthy river systems with good riparian vegetation to minimise silt runoff in to the sea," Mrs Bussey said.