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Ecology & Environment
Pradeep Kumar

07/09/21 12:25 PM IST

Tamil Nadu to set up India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve

In news

The State government in Assembly declared 500 sq.km of the biodiversity-rich waters in the Palk Bay, on the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu, as India’s first dugong conservation reserve.

Details
  • The reserve will span the northern part of the Palk Bay from Adiramapattinam to Amapattinam.
  • Marine biologists and conservationists have long demanded a reserve as the population of dugongs, as known as sea cows, in Indian waters has been dropping to dangerous levels.
  • According to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimates, only 200-250 Dugongs are left in the wild, of which 150 are found in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, among the last surviving natural habitats for dugongs in the world. 
Dugongs
  • They play a play a crucial role in maintaining healthy fish stock. “Dugong is the only herbivorous marine mammal on earth that feeds exclusively on seagrass.
  • It consumes 40kg of seagrass daily and helps in the growth of fresh vegetation. In the absence of dugongs, seagrass will grow densely and fish will not come to lay eggs.
  • In India, dugongs are found in Palk Bay, Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
  • Dugongs generally inhabit shallow waters. 
Major initiatives taken by the state 
  • Establishment of a Sea Cow sanctuary.
  • Establishment of another Elephant sanctuary.
  • Establishment of medical facilities for Emergency Critical care and rehabilitation of wildlife.
  • Stricter enforcement to prevent wildlife crimes
Whale sharks, sea horses

Studies have revealed that the proposed conservation reserve supports several globally important species such as the highly-threatened whale shark, sea horses, green and hawksbill sea turtles, dolphins and sacred chanks.

Source: Indian Express

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