South —
On November 16th, 2024, officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and related agencies convened in response to a crisis: the deaths of four dugongs in a single week, particularly near Phuket.
The last remaining dugong herds have migrated from Trang waters, fleeing a severe shortage of seagrass, their primary food source. The crisis has also exposed alarming cases, including a decapitated dugong found near Pa Khlok.
In Trang, long considered a sanctuary for dugongs, urgent discussions have begun to restore deteriorated seagrass beds and ensure survival for the few remaining dugongs. Over the past year, widespread seagrass depletion has caused mass migrations, leaving those that remain in Trang vulnerable to malnutrition and stranding, according to Trang local media.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has allocated emergency funds to rehabilitate seagrass beds along the Andaman coastline. Efforts in Ko Libong include experimental vegetable plots as alternative food sources.
Meanwhile, another juvenile female dugong was found dead on Sabaai Beach, Trang, marking the second death in the province this month and the fourth along the Andaman Sea in November.
According to Trang local media, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa will visit Trang on December 7th to assess the situation and oversee conservation efforts.
An investigation has also revealed more details about the aforementioned dead headless dugong, as we covered here.
