TRANG, Thailand – The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is accelerating rescue planning for a dugong found entangled in a rope near Koh Libong in Trang province. Officials from the Lower Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center have monitored the animal since February 15 using multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles to track its movements and condition.
Aerial surveys in waters near Laem Ju Hoi recorded 32 dugongs in the area, including the affected animal, which had a rope from fishing gear wrapped around its body. The dugong had drifted about 140 meters from where it was first observed and was later sighted roughly 480 meters offshore near the Mu Ko Libong Non-Hunting Area.
Rescue efforts have been hindered by rough sea conditions, including turbid water, suspended sediment, and strong currents, limiting close tracking and immediate intervention. Despite the entanglement, the dugong appears to be behaving normally, swimming and diving, surfacing regularly to breathe, and feeding alongside other dugongs.
Veterinary teams and marine officials are assessing conditions and coordinating with relevant agencies and local communities to carry out a safe rescue as soon as possible. (NNT)
