Rare marine animals had been noticed enjoying Thailand’s coastal waters final week in Krabi, southern Thailand. Dugongs (manatee’s little cousins), humpback dolphins and sea turtles have been seen from above in an aerial survey carried out by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) from March 27 – April 1.
A total of 34 dugongs, colloquially often known as “sea cows”, have been seen munching on seagrass in Krabi’s waters, together with seven pairs of mother and calf. The prevalence of mother-calf pairings indicates that dugongs are breeding in abundance. This is sweet news for the species which is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Seven Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, another species listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, had been spotted from the airplane. ติดตั้งโซล่าเซลล์ที่ไหนดี of 36 sea turtles, listed as endangered by the IUCN, have been also seen swimming round Krabi’s coastal waters. None of the marine animals confirmed any indicators of irregular behaviour.
In 2019, two stranded dugong calves had been rescued by the DMCR but sadly both died the identical year from infections regarding ingesting plastic. The tragedy led to government initiatives to enhance conservation insurance policies and address marine plastic pollution.
The Thai authorities has established 28 marine protected areas overlaying biodiversity hotspots in the Andaman Islands and Gulf of Thailand. Dugongs are additionally protected beneath several nationwide and international legal guidelines.
If you want to see a dugong, you’re extra prone to see one in the waters of Trang province, just south of Krabi. Koh Libong, Koh Mook, Hat Chao Mai National Park, Sikao and Koh Sukorn are dugong hotspots if you would like to be in with an opportunity at swimming with the wild sea cows..