The Dugong in Thailand

There is a belief that Dugongs may have given rise to the mermaid myth – unlikely as it seems, they have been mistaken in the past for humans. This myth was underlined when in 1560 a group of Portuguese explorers captured seven Dugongs and presented them to the viceroy's physician who commented that they were 'creatures comparable with humans in every respect'.

Adult Dugongs are mostly hairless apart from a few hairs and bristles. The forelimb are long and fin-like, ending with two hands featuring five fingers on each. Instead of hind legs they have a horizontal tail rudder and instead of having a neck, the head is separated from the body by a fold of skin.

Female Dugongs have breasts which they use to nurture their young. They tend to inhabit shallow coastal seas generally in a depth range of between 1 meter and 12 meters; preferred water temperatures range between 20 and 30 degrees. Dugongs rarely enter beyond the mouth of rivers and are never found in deep fresh water.

In the past, heavy trawling in Thai waters has destroyed immense areas of seagrass forest. This is one, if not the prime, reason for the serious decline in their numbers as seagrass forest forms the staple diet of the Dugong. In Thailand however, Dugongs can still be spotted amongst the seagrass forests around few of the offshore islands in Trang province, such as Koh Lipong. They are understandably nervous of snorkelers and divers so a close look is almost impossible.

Trang is now considered to be the last location in Thailand where herds of Dugongs can be seen. The high degree of public concern regarding the dwindling numbers of Dugongs makes it difficult for the authorities to ignore the problem associated with trawling so it continues, thankfully, to be regulated by the government. This means that there will be enough marine life in the seas for the younger generations to continue to work as fishermen.