When tourists are away, the dugongs come out to play

Splashing time: Dugongs (below) swimming in Joohoy cape at Libong island in Trang province, southern Thailand. — AFP

IT is rare to see a threatened species of sea mammal in shallow waters in southern Thailand but thanks to travel restrictions that have stripped popular destinations of crowds of tourists, a large group of dugongs has made their presence known.

Drone video footage released by the Department of National Parks shows a 30-strong herd of dugongs on Wednesday off Libong island in Trang province. They were feeding on sea grass and occasionally surfaced to breathe.