India’s first conservation reserve for Dugongs
- The Tamil Nadu government plans to establish India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay on the southeast coast of the state which will cover over 500 sq km.
- In 2019 the proposal was sent to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to declare the 400 sq km stretch of Palk Bay as a Conservation Reserve for Dugongs by the Wildlife Institute of India.
Dugong:
- Dugong, also called as ‘Sea Cow’ is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia.
- It is the only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea, including in India.
- It primarily grazes on sea grasses and therefore spends most of its time in seagrass beds.
- Dugongs, closest relative to Steller's Sea cow, have a distinct dolphin-like tail, a different s zkull form, and teeth pattern.
- They only occur in coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans from east Africa to the Red Sea and Australia.
- In India they are mainly found in Gulf of Mannar, PalkBay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
- World Dugong Day is celebrated on 28th May, every year.
Conservations:
- Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List
- Protected under Schedule I of the Wild (Life) Protection Act, 1972.
Threats:
- Loss of seagrass beds due to ocean floor trawling (method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats).
- Destruction and modification of habitat
- Environmental pollution
- Rampant illegal fishing activities
- Vessel strikes
- Unsustainable hunting or poaching
- Unplanned tourism