Pattaya —
The rediscovery of the nearly-extinct marine creature, the Neptune’s Cup Sponge, in the waters of Pattaya has brought immense delight to environmentalists in the region.
Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, Associate Dean for the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, shared this discovery on his personal Facebook page.
According to him, the Neptune’s Cup Sponge, once thought to be extinct, has been found again in the waters of Pattaya and its vicinity. This particular type of sponge can reach an enormous size of up to 1 meter in both width and diameter.
Over a century ago, this marine creature was even used as a bathing tub for infants due to its wine glass-like shape, earning it the nickname “Neptune’s Wine Glass”. The sponges feed by filtering water and have a remarkably long lifespan, sometimes spanning several decades, as long as they are not disturbed by fishing tools, anchors, or large marine debris.
Sadly, past scientific reports indicated that due to its exotic shape, the sponge had become valuable to collectors around the world since its first discovery in the early 1800s. They were overharvested until they were eventually at risk of extinction. The phenomenal creature was then last spotted in Indonesia in the early 1900s.
Dr. Thon said the sightings of the Neptune’s Cup Sponge in the waters of Pattaya and its vicinity brought immense delight to environmentalists. The specimens particularly live in sandy areas with a depth of 7 to 8 meters in the Pattaya sea. What made the rediscovery amazing is that there are no reports of the sponge sightings elsewhere in other areas of the Thai sea, Dr. Thon said.
The environmentalist lastly warned that if anyone happens to come across them, whether in Thailand or elsewhere, it’s important to know that they are very rare. There are likely only around 50 of them in the world, and more than 50% of the global population is estimated to be in Pattaya. He urges people not to touch or disturb them, and work together to conserve and allow these sponges to grow and reproduce for future generations.
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