We arrived with our 2 kids (Joakim 4 years, Thilde 8 months) and started asking alot of questions – Anita were very helpful, as well as patient trying to make our stay here as pleasant as possible. Thanks!
Enjoying the village and the nature - We like the idea behind the nature resort.
Henrik (Environment Consultant for DANCED), Karina, Joakim and Thilde
from Denmark Jan 15-18th 2004
DUGONG TRACKING by Henrik
To my opinion, Dugongs are among the most lovely marine mammals. They seem so friendly, sympathetic, quiet, harmless – and extremely vulnerable. They used to be quite numerous in these waters, feeding on the extensive sea grass belts occurring between here, Ko Muk, and particularly between Ko Libong and the mainland. Their numbers here in a few years have dropped from hundreds to a dozen. They are subject to a variety of threats – being trapped in fishermen nets, having their only food source (the sea grass beds) being demolished and probably also impact from pollution, disturbed by long tail boats and maybe even hunted.
Preserving them for future generations seems close to a mission impossible and it is imperative to draw attention to this situation. The Dugong Tracking offered by the Nature Resort provides and excellent opportunity. Give it a try!!
How to do? Patience is the main tool. The long tail boat will take you to one of the areas, where Dugongs spend their time feeding. If they are around, chances are that you will see or hear them, when they surface for breathing. As they move slowly around, it may require more than one hour of drifting around, eventually paddling a bit, before you come across them. Most will put their odds at not seeing them, but if you come across a mother Dugong with her calf, you will have a life-time experience.
I will recommend that you start paddling towards the small island south of Ko Libong, in order to take a view of the birds (mostly waders like Curlew, Greenshank, Sand Plover, but close to the rare Crab Plover can be found) and see how they seek to the trees during high tide. Consider that they have to go to Northern Siberia in a short while.
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