Thai Influencer Uses Drone to Protect Rare Dugongs

Every morning, Theerasak Saksritawee launches his drone over Tang Khen Bay in Phuket, searching the turquoise waters for a gentle giant who has captured his heart. The social media influencer, known as Pop, has made it his mission to protect Thailand's rare dugongs by sharing their daily lives with thousands of followers online.

"I feel a deep connection to these incredible creatures," Pop says. "Dugongs are a vital part of my home."

Dugongs are large sea mammals similar to manatees that graze on seagrass and help maintain healthy ocean ecosystems. Pop visits the bay nearly every day to check on Miracle, a well-known dugong who has made the area his territory.

Thailand is one of the few places left where dugongs still thrive, with about 273 individuals counted in 2022. Yet the species faces critical danger from habitat loss, marine pollution, boat strikes, and the loss of the seagrass they depend on for food.

Between 2019 and 2024, more than 100 dugongs died in Thailand. A January 2025 expedition found that the special seagrass dugongs need had died off in massive areas, stressed by rising temperatures, pollution, and silt blocking sunlight.

"This critical ecosystem is much more fragile than we have believed before," says Petch Manopawitr, an ecologist advising Thailand's marine department. "We never really imagined we were going to lose such a vast area of seagrass in a very short period of time."

Pop has witnessed the losses firsthand. When a smaller female dugong who shared the bay with Miracle died last year, both Pop and his community mourned.

"I felt disappointed and heartbroken because she was one of my favorite dugongs," he told reporters. "The lady who makes the roti here cried."

The Ripple Effect

Pop's daily drone footage does more than document these magnificent animals. His social media presence is building awareness about dugong conservation across Thailand and beyond, showing people why protecting seagrass beds and reducing marine pollution matters for these gentle giants.

Scientists are now advocating for protected corridors that would allow dugongs to travel safely between feeding areas. Combined with grassroots education efforts like Pop's, these solutions offer hope for the species' survival.

One man with a drone and a camera is proving that individual action can spark wider change for creatures who cannot speak for themselves.