Our First Experience with a Baby Dugong: Aug 24

We flew 722 kilometers from Bangkok to Trang upon learning that a baby dugong had been stranded on the shore near Porda Island, Krabi, after becoming separated from its mother. The Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center in the Southern Andaman rescued the young dugong and transferred it for rehabilitation to Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya in Trang. As part of Below the Tides, we visited to explore how we could assist this vulnerable creature. The baby dugong, approximately two months old, arrived with nutrient deficiencies and corneal damage from excessive sun exposure. The vet provided careful treatment, and the dugong has responded well, now weighing around 15 kg. It currently receives four meals a day, mainly consisting of milk and seagrass as a snack. The dugong will remain under close supervision to ensure its continued good health. We have pledged to donate Bt50,000 to support its care, with Bt30,000 from our Science Competition winnings and Bt20,000 from our savings. We are dedicated to finding more effective ways to help this dugong and advance dugong conservation efforts overall.