Thai Influencer Uses Drone to Save Rare Dugongs

Theerasak Saksritawee, known as Pop, flies his drone over Tang Khen Bay almost every day to check on an old friend named Miracle. This gentle giant is a dugong, one of only 273 of these rare sea mammals left in Thailand.

Pop has been documenting these creatures for over a year, sharing stunning footage on social media to help the world fall in love with them. "I feel a deep connection to these incredible creatures," he says. "Dugongs are a vital part of my home."

Dugongs look like manatees and behave like underwater gardeners, grazing on seagrass meadows in shallow coastal waters. Miracle lives in the bay year-round, though he once shared the area with up to 13 other dugongs. Now he mostly swims alone after chasing the others away, except for a smaller female who died last year.

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

The tears aren't just about one animal. Between 2019 and 2024, more than 100 dugongs died in Thailand as their primary food source vanished. A recent expedition discovered that vast areas of seagrass had died off due to multiple stressors including higher 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."

The Ripple Effect

Pop's drone footage is doing more than capturing beautiful moments. His social media presence is educating people about why dugongs matter and what threatens them. Every post about Miracle helps build support for conservation efforts.

Scientists are now advocating for protected corridors where dugongs can safely search for food. Thailand remains one of the few places on Earth with a viable dugong population, making conservation here critical for the species' global survival.

Pop continues his daily flights, turning his personal connection into a powerful force for change. Through his lens, thousands of people now care about an animal they might never have known existed.