PETITION TARGET: Krabi Province Police, Phuket Marine Biological Centre, and any other investigating marine agency
A female sea cow was found with her head cut off her body and with multiple bodily wounds in Thailand’s southern Krabi province, according to news reports.
Villagers believe the defenseless dugong, a close relative of the manatee, may have gotten entangled in a fishing net and drowned before fishermen who later found her may allegedly have decapitated her — to keep using the net or so they could hack off and sell her tusks, according to news reports.
The alleged poaching is possible, as dugong tusks can be sold for lots of money to some people who believe they bring “good luck.” Meanwhile, the IUCN Red List for Endangered Species lists the docile animals as vulnerable to extinction — with already significant human-caused threats from hunting, habitat loss, and boat collisions.
There are only about 200 dugongs left in the area and it’s crucial that these majestic animals — who feel love, fear, and pain — are protected. When they’re not, through intentional cruelty or through negligence, it’s critical that their killers be brought to justice.
Sign our petition urging the Krabi Province Police, the Phuket Marine Biological Centre — or any other investigating marine agency — to use all available resources to find the individual(s) responsible for this gruesome act and enforce all applicable penalties.
