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India’s First Dugong Conservation Reserve
Tamil Nadu state government has announced to set up India’s first dugong conservation reserve at the northern part of the Palk Bay.
About Dugong
- The dugong (Dugong dugon), also called the sea cow, is herbivorous mammal.
- They can grow upto three meters long, weigh about 300 kilograms, and live for about 65 to 70 years.
- They graze on seagrass and come to the surface to breathe.
- They are found in over 30 countries and in India are seen in the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kutch, Palk Bay, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Conservation Status
- Dugongs are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Internationally, dugongs are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits the trade of the species and its parts.
- Dugongs are protected in India under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Act 1972 which bans the killing and purchasing of dugong meat.
Threat
- The loss of ‘seagrass’ habitats, water pollution, and degradation of the coastal ecosystem due to developmental activities, have made life tough for these slow-moving animals.
- Dugongs are also victims of accidental entanglement in fishing nets and collision with boats, trawlers.
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