No Sightings Confirmed Since Last Month
The juvenile southern bottlenose dolphin named Jongdali, who was found entangled in fishing line two years ago, disappeared after being discovered caught in another fishing line on the 14th of last month. Civic groups that have been consistently monitoring Jongdali's condition believe that, unfortunately, the dolphin is presumed to have died.
According to the marine environmental organization Hotpinkdolphins, the Marine Animal Research and Conservation Center (MARC), and the Jeju Dolphin Emergency Rescue Team, as of June 13, Jongdali had not been seen since being spotted in the sea off Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju, on May 14.
The southern bottlenose dolphin named Jongdali, discovered last month on the 14th by the marine environmental organization Hotpinkdolphins. Provided by Hotpinkdolphins
The rescue team presumed Jongdali had died after confirming that Jongdali's mother, a dolphin named Kimri who had always cared for Jongdali, was seen alone with another pod.
In a press release, they stated, "The juvenile southern bottlenose dolphin Jongdal, entangled in fishing line, disappeared after 1 year and 8 months of rescue attempts," and added, "On the afternoon of May 14, the last time Jongdali was observed, the dolphin was found tangled in yet another fishing line. At the time of discovery, Jongdali was so badly entangled from face to tail that the dolphin could not control its body, and the tail fin was in such a severe condition that it was barely moving."
After confirming the situation, the rescue team urgently requested rescue approval from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. By the following morning, they quickly secured a veterinarian, marine animal rescue and treatment personnel, rescue team staff and equipment, and a vessel to attempt an emergency rescue, but were unable to locate Jongdali. The rescue team explained, "It was clear that even the last opportunity to rescue Jongdali had disappeared," and added, "Regrettably, Jongdali, who became separated from its mother and went missing, is ultimately presumed to have died."
The southern bottlenose dolphin named Jongdal, photographed in the sea off Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City, on the afternoon of May 14. Provided by Hot Pink Dolphins.
They also warned that "a second Jongdali" could appear at any time and called on the government to implement measures to prevent a recurrence. The coastal waters off Noeulhaean-ro in Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju, where Jongdali frequently stayed, are a major habitat for the southern bottlenose dolphin, a marine protected species. However, the area is plagued by rampant rock fishing, and abandoned or lost fishing gear is left unattended along the coast.
In fact, at the time Jongdali was last observed, in addition to the extra fishing line wrapped around the dolphin, a flatfish believed to be used as live bait was attached to a float. Previously, on June 10, another southern bottlenose dolphin named Haengwooni, who had been seen with a rope tied to its tail fin, was also observed entangled in discarded fishing gear.
The rescue team stated, "The lack of a systematic manual, support, and rapid communication between organizations limited our response," and added, "Such deficiencies in institutional infrastructure can ultimately cause us to miss the golden time for rescue."
They further argued, "In this situation, a second Jongdali could emerge at any time," and emphasized, "Institutional responses are inadequate, and to enhance the effectiveness of marine protected area designations, it is necessary to comprehensively protect the entire primary habitat actually used by dolphins."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
