UPY 2025

UPY 2019 Marine Conservation - Highly Commended
'Bloodied Head of a Baby Dugong at Necropsy'
Sirachai Arunrugstichai

During an assignment to cover a story about the threats of the Andaman Sea, I was informed by biologists at Phuket Marine Biological Centre that they will be performing necropsy on a juvenile dugong that was killed in illegal fishing gear in a marine protected area, so I went there to document the necropsy process. Despite its status as protected species in Thai waters, these vulnerable sirenians are still regularly killed as bycatch in artisanal fisheries in seagrass habitat, while also occasionally poached for illegal bushmeat and body parts as magical charms. According to the recent assessment from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the population of dugongs in the Andaman sea of Thailand is estimated to be at around only 250 individuals. The deep red blood was running over the clean white vinyl sheet, so I just shoot straight down at the head for simplified composition.

Judge's comment: Whilst gut wrenching to see some of these examples it's a a fact of life and images such as this one must come to light to before it's all too late.
Martin Edge