An emaciated and fatigued dugong was sighted last week near Trang's Koh Libong, a renowned habitat for this marine mammal.
The dugong's condition has sparked concern among both the public and academics, given the decline of seagrass around the island attributed to human activities and climate change.
While no official conclusions have been drawn concerning the emaciated dugong, it is evident that marine life faces a significant risk of extinction due to the adverse changes in their habitat's ecological system, according to Santi Nirawat, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre (Lower Andaman Sea) at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR).
Signs of the seagrass crisis in Koh Libong have been apparent since 2019, said Mr Santi.
The DMCR observed widespread deterioration of seagrass around Koh Libong, in line with the sediment discharge into the sea that took place to deepen the river's mouth.
Due to strong complaints from local communities, the DMCR recommended halting the activity to preserve marine life.
Regrettably, no signs of seagrass recovery were observed after the sediment discharge stopped. Instead, numerous reports surfaced concerning the ailing seagrass in various areas.
Mr Santi said that 70% of the 34,000 rai of seagrass territory in the southern province of Trang suffered severe damage.
The centre observed a shift in sediment layers, with a greater volume of sand overlaying the soil sediment, potentially weakening the seagrass.
Additionally, he said an unusual phenomenon affecting high and low tides, with low tides persisting longer and shallower, caused the seagrass to dry out due to reduced resistance to intense sunlight during the daytime. Some experts reckon the seagrass has become unhealthy due to fungus, he said.
"Our team of marine academics and experts are working to find out the cause of the ill condition of the seagrass so we can implement measures to deal with the problem.
However, all these negative factors have coincided, including the results of climate change, making the situation worse," he said.
Growing a new seagrass plantation at the damaged site is also not a good option for the time being as the area should be left for a while to recover naturally.
The centre asked for cooperation from locals to leave the area alone as much as possible by not conducting man-made activities such as fishing.
A survey by the centre found only 36 dugongs roaming around Koh Libong and nearby islets and islands, a significant drop from the 194 found last year.
It's speculated they've moved to new areas with more seagrass. The department also noted seagrass deterioration on the Andaman coast in Krabi and Phangnga provinces, while the Gulf of Thailand's seagrass remains intact.
He said the department has tracked the dugongs' relocation, indicating their new habitat shouldn't be far from Koh Libong since their living range is closely tied to seagrass sites. He believes the seas around Krabi and Satun could be where they decide to stay.
According to DMCR, Trang, Krabi and Satun are the country's most important sites for seagrass, covering about 70% of an estimated 100,000 rai of total seagrass in the country. Meanwhile, the number of sea cows is rather small, with about 200 nationwide. A lack of seagrass -- its sole food source -- has raised a big question on how to prevent their extinction, he said.
Santi: Highlights changes in habitat
Petch Manopawitr, a conservation scientist and also the DMCR's adviser, said the ill condition of seagrass is sending a strong message to the global community that the world is reaching a tipping point in climate change. An unusual pattern of sea currents has had a strong impact on marine life.
"We may not be able to see the recovery of seagrass in the future. Climate change isn't a distant concern; it's causing immediate and profound alterations to marine ecosystems. The loss of seagrass and dugongs is an important piece of the climate change jigsaw," he said.
He also warned about massive coral reef bleaching, with damages likely similar to the extensive coral reef bleaching in 2010 that destroyed over 90% of the coral reef in Mu Koh Surin National Park in Phangnga province.
The loss of coral reefs is a huge loss for humanity because it is an important sea barrier to prevent waves from strongly hitting coastal areas, he said.
Without them, the problem of coastal erosion will get worse. To save the coral reefs, he suggested the department prepare necessary measures.
Romtham Khumnurak, Phatthalung representative from the Democrat Party, demanded the government step up action against climate change, saying he didn't see any substantive measures dealing with the problem even though its impacts are critical to people's living condition.
He said the loss of seagrass is no longer an issue to be solved by local communities, but should involve all stakeholders and made a national agenda item by the government.
Petch: Humans need coral reefs