Bangkok: Thai dugong numbers have decreased by nearly 30% in three years, prompting the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to tighten conservation measures. Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart has ordered the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) to implement dugong conservation measures after a survey found a 27.5% decrease in their numbers over three years. He emphasized the need to expedite habitat restoration and strengthen proactive protection measures, particularly concerning the illegal decapitation of dugongs based on superstitious beliefs.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, stated that he has instructed the DMCR to implement proactive measures to protect dugongs, as survey results have revealed a rapid population decline. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has found that the number of dugongs has continuously decreased over the past three years, from approximately 280 to just 203. Of these, 187 dugongs were found on the Andaman coast and only 16 on the Gulf of Thailand coast.
In examining the causes of death, data from the fiscal year 2023-2025 indicated that a total of 112 dugongs were found stranded. The analysis revealed that 43% were sick or weak, 39% had unknown causes of death, 7% were entangled in fishing gear, 5% were involved in marine accidents such as ship collisions, and 6% were due to other causes such as being lost or injured by predators. Additionally, during the same period, eight dugongs were reported to have been poached, with their heads or teeth removed. Most recently, on October 5, 2015, a decapitated dugong was found at Lang Ko Beach in Krabi Province. Although an autopsy revealed poaching, it remains illegal.
Mr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, noted that the main cause of dugong deaths is the deterioration of seagrass beds, their primary food source. This issue is particularly prevalent in Krabi, Trang, and Phuket provinces, where seagrass beds have been affected by sedimentation and coastal activities, such as tourism and local fishing. He emphasized the urgency of habitat restoration, as dugongs are animals with low survival rates and are sensitive to environmental changes.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is implementing several proactive measures to protect and sustainably restore the dugong population in Thailand’s seas. These measures include monitoring and protecting seagrass areas, establishing marine animal rescue teams, enforcing laws against illegal trading in dugong tusks, and restoring degraded seagrass areas.
Regarding the illegal decapitation of dugongs, the Deputy Prime Minister has ordered the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to coordinate with relevant authorities to urgently investigate the perpetrators and enhance patrols and surveillance. Dugongs are protected under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 2019, with penalties for illegal possession or trade of dugong tusks including imprisonment or fines.
Dugong conservation efforts aim not only to protect these rare marine animals but also to preserve coastal ecosystems that are crucial for local communities.