The remains of a beheaded dugong (Dugong) were recently discovered in the waters around Thailand’s Yao Noi Island. The dugong’s tail was tied with rope and there were clear human-inflicted wounds on its body. It is suspected that local superstition claiming 'dugong teeth can be used as protective amulets' led to the mutilation. Dugongs are believed to be one of the origins of the legendary 'mermaid'. According to local laws, harming or dismembering dugongs is illegal. Currently, relevant evidence has been turned over to the police for DNA comparison, and the case is under investigation.
According to the “Thailand Daily”, on the 9th of this month, local residents discovered the male dugong’s remains near Yao Noi Island, measuring about 2.2 meters in length (not including the head) and weighing about 120 kilograms. Its tail was tied with knotted ropes and attached to underwater rocks, with obvious stab wounds on both sides of its chest, possibly inflicted after securing the body before it was beheaded.
Veterinary dissection revealed that the dugong originally suffered from intestinal disease and may have died from being unable to eat. Shockingly, it was beheaded shortly after death, with clear sharp object cut marks at the severed neck. In addition, investigators found what appeared to be discarded dugong nose fragments in nearby waters, which could serve as key evidence to identify suspects.
Official data shows that between 2023 and 2025, a total of 112 dugongs have been stranded in Thailand, of which 8 had their teeth or heads removed. According to Thailand’s Wildlife Protection Act, illegal hunting or dismemberment of dugongs can be punished with imprisonment of 3 to 15 years, or a fine of 300,000 to 1,500,000 baht (about MYR 37,100 to 185,500), or both.