TRANG — 21 April 2026, Drone footage has captured a rare sight of two dugongs embracing and mating in the sea off Koh Libong, a key habitat in southern Thailand often dubbed the “dugong capital”, researchers said.
The images were released by the Lower Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre, whose director, Santi Nilwat, said the behaviour had not been documented in the area for several years.
Surveys also found multiple groups of dugongs, typically 3 to 7 animals, scattered around the Koh Libong archipelago in Kantang district, signalling a positive trend after the animals had previously migrated due to seagrass die-offs.
Since February 2026, aerial and drone surveys have recorded at least 72 dugongs in Trang waters, including at least two mother-calf pairs. No dugong strandings have been reported so far this year, in contrast to previous years when deaths were linked to seagrass shortages.
Parts of the seagrass beds, covering more than 20,000 rai (about 3,200 hectares), have begun to recover, providing a vital food source and encouraging the animals’ return.
