Phuket marine life in crisis as biologists save species
A juvenile Olive Ridley sea turtle was trapped in fishing net
Marine biologists in Phuket are working tirelessly to protect the island’s marine life, with two sea turtle rescues and an investigation into the mysterious death of a dolphin.
Yesterday, June 5, the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) and the Rare Marine Animal Rescue Network sprang into action after receiving reports of two critically endangered species in distress.
The first rescue took place off Karon Beach, where a juvenile Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), weighing approximately 20kg, had become entangled in a discarded fishing net.
Beach lifeguard Sarayut Kunarup spotted the turtle and immediately alerted authorities. The turtle, measuring 50cm in shell length, was found alive and in good health, with no visible injuries. PMBC officers, alongside local volunteers, carefully cut the net and released the turtle back into the sea, saving it from what could have been a deadly fate.
Later the same day, another rescue took place near Koh Racha Noi, south of Phuket, where a Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) was found stranded on a raft of floating debris. The turtle, weighing around 6kg, had a severe wound on its left flipper and was covered in barnacles, indicating that it had been drifting for a prolonged period in a weakened state.
Following the rescue, the turtle was transported to the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animal Rescue Centre at Cape Panwa, where it is now being treated for its injuries and rehabilitated before being released back into the wild.
While the successful turtle rescues have brought some relief, a separate incident has left marine experts concerned. On Tuesday, June 3, a juvenile male spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) was found dead on rocks at Laem Son, Kamala.
Locals alerted authorities, and officers from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) quickly launched an investigation. The dolphin, measuring 115cm and weighing 60kg, was badly decomposed with visible abrasions, missing its tail and suffering from internal decay. An autopsy revealed no signs of disease but could not determine the cause of death, reported The Phuket News.
The DMCR has expressed gratitude to the Rare Marine Animal Rescue Network and other community partners for their swift actions in protecting Thailand’s marine wildlife. They also encourage the public to report any injured or deceased marine animals, ensuring the preservation of the region’s fragile marine ecosystem.
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