Dugongs are amongst Asia’s most charismatic marine mammals. The species is often referred to as “sea cows” as their diet predominantly consists of seagrass. The range of the dugongs is fragmented across the warm coastal waters of the western Pacific Ocean to the eastern coast of Africa. In India, their range extends across the Western and Southern coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago.
Unfortunately, dugongs are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List, with their global population declining more than 20% in the last 90 years. Traditional and industrial hunting of dugongs for their meat and oil led to the plummeting of sea cow populations. However, currently, the primary threats faced by dugongs are habitat loss and environmental degradation. Deep-sea mining, trawling, and land reclamation degrade seagrass meadows by increasing sedimentation and hence reducing exposure to light. Pollution, in the form of sewage, heavy metals waste, and herbicides further destroys seagrass meadows. While not quantified, industrial fishing is also a massive threat as dugongs regularly succumb as bycatch following entanglement in fishing nets.
In this episode, Elrika D’Souza, one of India’s leading marine biologists, elaborates on her dugong and seagrass conservation work at the Nature Conservation Foundation. Tune in to listen more!
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