Kamala Police were informed of the dugong carcass, found near the rocks at the northern end of the beach, at about 7am.
Lifeguards brought the body ashore while police called in the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animals Rescue Centre, based at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) centre at Cape Panwa, to investigate.
Marine biologist Patcharaporn Kaewmong and her team arrived and confirmed the dugong was a full-grown male, weighing about 200kg and measuring 2.52 metres long.
The dugong had been dead for at least two to three days, the team noted.
An initial inspection found wounds on the back of the body, tail and both fins before.
The marine biologists took the remains back to their centre at Cape Panwa for further analysis to try to confirm the cause of death.
Dr Patcharaporn filed a complaint at Kamala Police Station as the dugong is a protected animal according to the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 1992. It was the first aquatic animal to be designated as a protected animal in Thailand.
Meanwhile, local residents this morning also found the remains of sea turtle washed ashore in front of Kamala Public Park.
The turtle weighed between 30-50kg, and by its state of decomposition had been dead at least several days, locals estimated.
DUGONG DEATHS
The dead dugong recovered off Kamala Beach this morning was the second dead dugong to be found in Phuket water’s this month.
A large dugong carcass was discovered floating off the coast of Phuket in the waters near the Tha Ton Do fishing community in Mai Khao last Friday (Oct 18).
The discovery of two dead dugongs in Phuket waters follows a family of dugongs spotted off Rawai, at the southern end of the island, in August.
Local residents were ecstatic of the arrival of the dugong family. "This is a significant event for Rawai and a positive sign of our marine ecosystem’s health," said Rawai Deputy Mayor Nikorn Paphakityotphat.
However, the two dugong deaths in Phuket in the past week follow a 2.1-metre-long male dugong in dire health found washed ashore at Koh Muk in Trang Province last Friday, and the body a 2.19m long adolescent male found dead at Koh Sarai Beach, Satun, last Saturday (Oct 19).