A dugong has been found eating the plants grown at the experiment plot.
The teams ran their experiments at two locations ‒ one beside Rawai Pier in Phuket, the other at Koh Libong in Trang ‒ from Nov 2-8, the DMCR said in a report online.
“To support dugongs facing food shortages due to limited seagrass, the DMCR, along with the Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center (AMCR) and the Institute for Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development (IMRD), has created additional food plots for them. The food plots, set up from Nov 2-8, 2024, included seagrass substitutes such as Chinese kale, morning glory, Chinese cabbage, and kelp,” the DMCR explained.
In response to seagrass degradation near Rawai Pier, where dugongs have been seen in the area, four test plots were set up along each side of the pier at low tide, close to the original seagrass area where dugongs often feed.
Each plot is one square metre in size, making a total of four plots. Each plot contains a different type of vegetable to see which ones the dugongs might prefer.
During high tide, drones were used to monitor whether any dugongs came to feed. Initially, one dugong was observed in the area, but it did not feed from any of the test plots.
However, good news was soon to come.
“By the morning of Nov 8, dugongs had come to eat from these plots, with a new feeding area prepared from 7:30 to 9am. While waiting for the tide to rise, a dugong named ‘Big White Back’ was observed eating from the plot,” the DMCR reported.
“However, because the water was murky, researchers couldn’t monitor it by drone and had to dive to check. They found that ‘Big White Back’ had consumed most of the supplementary foods, leaving only water hyacinth, which dugongs generally do not eat,” the DMCR added.
Research shows that in addition to seagrass, dugongs are now eating more seaweed, likely due to the scarcity of seagrass, the DMCR explained.
“Studies of dead dugongs’ stomach contents this year have found increased seaweed, indicating that dugongs in the Andaman Sea are adapting to some extent. However, while seaweed may supplement their diet, it cannot fully replace seagrass as a primary food source,” the agency said in its report.
“International reports also suggest that seaweed found in dugong faeces might have been ingested intentionally or accidentally. During food shortages, seaweed or certain vegetables might serve as alternative food sources, as their nutritional content is similar to seagrass. In aquariums abroad, dugongs are often fed vegetables as a substitute for seagrass,” the report explained.
DMCR Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi explained the recent discovery of dugong carcasses washing ashore. He noted that many of these dugongs lacked sufficient food, which weakened their physical condition and ultimately led to their death. Most carcasses were found in areas where seagrass, their primary food source, is in serious decline.
“Through ongoing monitoring of seagrass in the lower Andaman Sea ‒ especially in Krabi, Trang and Satun provinces, which are key dugong habitats ‒ we’ve observed a continuing decrease in both seagrass area and coverage.
“Cogon grass is deteriorating, with short, brittle and dry leaves, and some roots are even rotting. Additionally, other seagrass species like kaffir lime, round-leaf sedge, and turtle sedge have seen significant losses in area and coverage. Overall, more than 24,000 rai (approximately 9,500 acres) of seagrass areas are in poor condition, with recovery still uncertain,” Mr Pinsak said.
The good news follows a spate of dugong deaths late last month, with 10 dead dugongs discovered along the Andman coast within a few weeks. Three dugongs were found dead in Phuket coastal waters within nine days.
Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine ecosystem expert from Kasetsart University, said that global warming has become a significant threat to dugongs. Some 70 of them have died in just 22 months, exceeding the prior average of 20.25 per year.
Dr Thon estimated that only a few dozen dugongs will remain in the Andaman Sea in five to eight years.