Chrismate: The Dugongs

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

The Dugongs

Dugong are rare herbivorous marine mammals, sometimes called 'sea cows'. They are highly dependent on sea-grass. Therefore, their habitat is near the coast and they live in groups in shallow waters. It makes them vulnerable. This is why they ar highly protected.

They are an ancient species that has lived for the past 6,000 years. Although, they are now extinct in the Mediterranean, it is thought that they are at the roots of the myth of sirens described in the Greek mythology.

The legend of the dugongs

They are mostly found in southeast Asia, including the northern part of Australia, and also on the East-African coast in the Indian Ocean.

The Koh Libong Dugongs

In Trang province, Koh Libong is an island of the Andaman Sea, with a fairly large population of dugongs.

The Anantara Resort on the mainland had a small preservation site. Here are some of the information that could be seen on the local dugong population.

At Koh Libong, it is possible to hire a longboat in order to watch the dugongs in their natural environment. This must be done at high tide.

The boat sails to the southern bay of the island, where there is a large fishermen's village. Thre, the pier has a tower with a viewpoint.

But the best way to watch the dugongs is to be on a boat and be patient. There is a high karstic rock that seems impossible to climb. But they do send a scout to the top to guide the boatsman and let him know about the dugong whereabouts. They speak with a mobile phone but the acoustic is so good that you can hear their voices clearly.

After a while, the dugongs are there and can be spotted. Sometimes, it is just a swimming shadow in the water. But at other times, some get really curious and swim to the surface, showing a big eye looking at you!