Trang’s dugong population on brink of extinction as numbers drop drastically
The dugong population in Trang province is on the brink of extinction as the population has dropped drastically from 194 last year to just 36 this year.
As per the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources’ team that tackles seagrass sources, only one pair of dugong mother and child were spotted this year, compared to 12 pairs last year.
As many as four dugongs were found dead this year alone, with the carcass of a 20-year-old male dugong found to be thinner than usual. An autopsy showed that the dugong’s body was full of parasites, tumours and microplastic.
The drastic decline in dugong population is being blamed on the destruction of up to 30,000 rai (4,800 hectares) of seagrass, which has also triggered a decline in the populations of other marine life.
Researchers have also attributed the drastic decline in marine life to global warming, which is having a severe impact on the marine ecosystem.
Pakpoom Withantirawat, a member of the committee in charge of overseeing seagrass sources, said Trang had been witnessing a decline in dugong numbers for three to four years now.
Hence, he said, relevant agencies, especially the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, should work on tackling dugong-related issues in order to prevent the extinction of this endangered species.
“Natural Resources and Environment Minister Patcharawat Wongsuwan should tackle this crisis immediately because it needs manpower, knowledge, budget and efficiency,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resource director-general Pinsak Suraswadi led marine ecologists to survey dugong preservation areas across Trang in a bid to find out what is causing the decline in marine resources.
Pinsak and his team are in charge of surveying Libong and Mook Islands, as well as the Yong Lam Cape in the Kantang district.
According to the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, the presence of dugongs is an indicator of the abundance of seagrass resources, as this species is known to spend most of its life near feeding grounds.
An abundant source of seagrass is also important to the marine ecosystem as it generates oxygen, serves as a feeding ground and habitat for marine life as well as mitigates pollution and prevents coastal erosion.
