This is the heartwarming moment locals rescued an injured dugong stranded aground on a beach in Thailand.

The villagers were taking a stroll along the shores of Koh Mook island in Trang province when they noticed the 120kg marine mammal that was washed ashore on September 3.

It had stripes on its back and was struggling to crawl back into deeper waters.

The Good Samaritans used a net as makeshift stretcher to carry the 13ft dugong, which was described as docile and submissive during the rescue.

The beach-goers safely released the dugong out into the sea after 20 minutes.

Locals believe it had been grazing on seagrass when churning seas during a storm swept it toward the island where it was stranded.

As the area was frequently visited by dugong, local authorities said fishermen have been educated not to disturb the animals' habitat.

The dugong, a close relative of manatees, are large marine mammals belonging to the order Sirenia. They are found in warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and western Pacific Ocean.

Dugong are considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. They face threats such as habitat loss due to coastal development, boat collisions, and entanglement in fishing nets.