Thailand’s Princess Sirivannavari names Krabi’s baby dugong ‘Yamil’

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari has proposed the name ‘Yamil’ for the orphaned baby dugong found stranded in Krabi on July 1. The animal was rescued by villagers and sent for treatment and rehabilitation by marine veterinarians in Phuket.

Read about the baby dugong being found HERE.

Netizens were invited to name the orphaned baby dugong by officials yesterday. Many Thaiger readers also submitted their list of names, including… Duey the Dugong, Kinaree, Dougie, Millie, Carlos, Sabai, Lucky, Talay (man of the sea), Russel, Bruce, John West (yeah, we get it…), Oliver, Solo, Popeye, Chock Dee, Bom Pui. Thanks to all of you!

Thai PBS reports that Marine and Coastal Resources Department director-general Jatuporn Burutpat says the Princess has agreed to sponsor the care of Yamil which, in the Yawi dialect, means “handsome young man of the sea”, and another baby dugong, Mariam, which means “beautiful young lady of the sea”, under the Coral and Marine Lives project initiated by the Princess.

Jatuporn said that the department and the officials were pleased with the concern shown by the Princess for the conservation of corals and marine life in Thai waters and her kindness in sponsoring the care of the two orphaned baby dugongs.

As an extension to the Princess’s project, he said the department had several related missions, such as the introduction of artificial corals into the sea, rehabilitation of damaged corals, the maintenance of damaged buoys for tourist boats and promotion of public awareness about coral conservation.

He disclosed that dugong are most commonly sighted in the Andaman Sea in the territory of Chao Mai national park off the coast of Trang because there is abundant seagrass, which is the main food source for the dugong.

SOURCE: Thai PBS