Phang Nga —
Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) are investigating the death of a rare male dugong discovered washed ashore at Bang Sak Beach, Takua Pa.
The Marine and Coastal Resources Office 6 told the Phuket Express that this week they and the Siritharn Marine Endangered Species Rescue Center responded to reports of the carcass found along the shoreline in Moo 8, Bang Muang Subdistrict.
The dugong measured 254 centimeters in length and was already in an advanced state of decomposition, with peeling skin and severe necrotic wounds beneath its left flipper. The remains were documented, transported, and sent for necropsy to determine the precise cause of death.
Dugongs, often referred to as “sea cows,” are considered an indicator species for the richness of seagrass ecosystems. The loss of even a single dugong is not only a setback for the fragile population of these rare marine mammals but also a warning sign of the vulnerability of Thailand’s coastal resources.
