A baby dugong stranded on the beach during low tide was rescued.

The juvenile marine creature was separated from its mum while swimming close to shore before being found by locals in Trang province, Thailand.

Footage shows the 5ft animal that weighed 50kg struggling to swim on the shallows while vets and residents checked on it.

Department of Marine and Coastal Resources officers assessed the young dugong, who took it to their facility to rehabilitate before release.

Rescuer Kesorn Khewjinda said: 'It ran aground in front of Koh Mook, Koh Libong Subdistrict, Kantang District, Trang province and was rescued by community leaders, public health officials, village health volunteers and villagers.'

Dugongs are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List due to various threats, including habitat loss, hunting, entanglement in fishing gear, and climate change.