No sign of injury on dead dugong found near Trang’s Koh Muk
THE NATION
The carcass of a dugong was found floating off the coast of Trang’s Koh Muk island on Monday and has been taken to the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre, lower Andaman Sea, for an autopsy.
There were no obvious signs of injury on the body of the 1.2-metre-long animal. The dugong’s sex has yet to be determined.
The dugong population in Thailand is quite small, with only about 250 spotted in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.
In the Andaman area, small groups of dugong have been seen between Ranong and Satun provinces, though most of them are spotted around Koh Libong and Koh Muk in Trang province.
In the Gulf of Thailand, small groups can be seen in Rayong, Trat, Chumphon and Surat Thani.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources said dugongs have a very high mortality rate with at least 12 dying every year.
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