Concern in Thailand after the discovery of a sick dugong

An emaciated and tired dugong was spotted last week near Koh Libong Island in Trang, southern Thailand.

The dugong's health has raised public and academic concerns, given the decline of seagrass around the island, attributed to human activities and climate change.

This follows the discovery of a dugong carcass on the shore of Koh Libong earlier this month.

The area was once a renowned habitat for this marine mammal, but this is no longer the case today.

According to Santi Nirawat, Director of the Centre for Marine and Coastal Resources Research (Lower Andaman Sea) at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR):

"Although no official conclusions have been reached regarding the emaciated dugong, it is clear that marine life faces a significant risk of extinction due to negative changes in the ecological system of their habitat."

Signs of the seagrass crisis on Koh Libong have been apparent since 2019, Mr. Santi said.

The DMCR observed widespread deterioration of seagrass around Koh Libong, linked to the dumping of sediment into the sea that took place to deepen the river mouth.

Due to strong complaints from local communities, the DMCR recommended that the activity be stopped in order to preserve marine life.

Unfortunately, no signs of seagrass recovery were observed after the sediment dumping stopped.

Instead, numerous reports have surfaced regarding the deterioration of seagrass in various areas.

Mr. Santi said 70 percent of the 34,000 rai (54.4 sq km) of seagrass beds in the southern province of Trang had suffered serious damage.

The center observed a shift in sediment layers, with a greater volume of sand covering the soil sediments, which could weaken the seagrass meadow.

Furthermore, he indicated that an unusual phenomenon affecting high and low tides, with low tides persisting longer and shallower, caused the seagrass to dry out due to reduced resistance to intense sunlight during the day.

Some experts believe the seagrass has become unhealthy because of a fungus, he added.

“Our team of academics and marine experts is working to uncover the cause of the poor condition of the seagrass so that we can implement measures to address the problem.

However, all these negative factors have coincided, including the results of climate change, which has worsened the situation,” he said.

Growing a new seagrass plantation on the damaged site is also not a good option at this time, as the area needs to be allowed to recover naturally over a period of time.

The center asked for the cooperation of residents to leave the area as quiet as possible by not carrying out artificial activities such as fishing.

A herd of dugongs feeds on seagrass in Trang in 2022. Photo: Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR)

A study conducted by the center found that only 36 dugongs were roaming around Koh Libong and nearby islands and islets, a significant drop from the 194 dugongs recorded last year.

It is assumed that they moved to new areas richer in seagrass.

The department also noted a deterioration of the seagrass meadow on the Andaman coast in Krabi and Phangnga provinces, while the seagrass meadow in the Gulf of Thailand remains intact.

He said the department had been tracking the dugongs' movement, indicating that their new habitat should not be far from Koh Libong since their habitat is closely linked to seagrass sites.

He thinks the seas around Krabi and Satun might be where they decide to stay.

According to the DMCR, Trang, Krabi and Satun are the country's most important sites for seagrass meadows, covering about 70% of the estimated 100,000 rai (160 km²) of seagrass beds in the country.

At the same time, the number of dugongs is rather low, around 200 in the whole country.

The lack of seagrass, their only food source, raised a big question about how to prevent their extinction, he said.

Petch Manopawitr, a conservation scientist and advisor to the DMCR, said the poor state of seagrass sends a strong message to the international community that the world is reaching a tipping point in climate change.

An unusual pattern of ocean currents has had a strong impact on marine life.

“We may not see the recovery of seagrass in the future.

Climate change is not a distant concern; it is causing immediate and profound alterations to marine ecosystems.

“The loss of seagrass beds and dugongs is an important piece of the climate change puzzle,” he said.

He also warned of mass bleaching of coral reefs, with damage likely similar to the extensive bleaching of coral reefs in 2010 that destroyed more than 90% of the coral reef in Mu Koh Surin National Park in Phangnga province.

"The disappearance of coral reefs is a huge loss for humanity, as they are an important marine barrier that prevents waves from hitting coastal areas heavily," he said.

Without them, the problem of coastal erosion will worsen.

To save coral reefs, he suggested that the ministry prepare the necessary measures.

Romtham Khumnurak, a representative of the Phatthalung Democratic Party, called on the government to step up the fight against climate change, saying he saw no substantial measures to address the issue, even though its impacts are crucial to people's livelihoods.

According to him, the disappearance of seagrass beds is no longer a problem to be solved by local communities, but should involve all stakeholders and be the subject of a national agenda by the government.

See also:

Baby dugong Marium dies in Thailand after ingesting plastic

Thailand strengthens protection of Songkhla Lake dolphins

Thailand approves protection measures for marine resources

Source: Bangkok Post