Dugong are gentle, slow-moving creatures that inhibit the shallow coaster waters of the Indo-Pacific region mostly. These marine mammals play a critical role in maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems. However, dugongs are threatened by a range of factors, including habitat loss, hunting, and accidental capture in fishing nets. Recently populations of Dugong in East Africa and New Caledonia were put into the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered and Endangered respectively. Let’s learn about these Gentle Giants of the sea, their importance, threats and efforts for their conservation globally.
Sea Cows are crucial more maintaining Seagrass Meadows
Dugong, also known as Sea Cows, are only herbivorous marine mammals and feed on seagrass. Seagrass meadows are important habitats for a wide range of marine organisms, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Seagrass ecosystems also provide important ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. Dugongs play a critical role in maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems, as they help to control the growth of seagrass by grazing on it. This grazing helps to stimulate new growth and maintain the health and productivity of seagrass meadows. Terrestrial megaherbivores play a similar role.
What are the threats faced by dugongs in India?
Despite their importance, dugongs are threatened by a range of factors, including habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and accidental capture in fishing nets. The dugong species remains Vulnerable globally. Habitat loss and degradation are major threats to dugongs, as seagrass meadows are often destroyed or degraded by coastal development, pollution, and climate change. Other threats for their survival is Hunting and accidental entanglement in abandoned fishing nets.
Where are dugongs found in India?
In India Dugongs are found in Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are declared as State animal of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Dugongs are also part of India’s Recovery Programme for Critically Endangered Species program, one of the three components of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats(IDWH). Tamil Nadu state government has notified the country’s first ‘Dugong Conservation Reserve’ in Palk Bay covering the coastal waters of Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts with an area of 448 square kilometers.
In addition to protected areas, other conservation measures for dugongs include the promotion of sustainable fishing practices, the development of alternative livelihoods for coastal communities, and public awareness campaigns to promote the importance of dugongs and their habitats. By working together to protect dugongs and their habitats, we can help to ensure the health and productivity of seagrass ecosystems and the many marine organisms that depend on them.
Conclusion
Dugongs are important members of marine ecosystems and play a critical role in maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems. They are also very unique and it is very important to save them. Through the establishment of protected areas, the promotion of sustainable fishing practices, and public awareness campaigns, we can work together to protect these gentle giants of the sea and ensure their survival for generations to come.
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Written by: Ram Dayal Vaishnav