Recently, the Palk Bay Dugong Conservation Reserve has received IUCN recognition, highlighting India’s efforts in dugong conservation.

About Dugongs

• Diet: They are known as ‘Sea Cows’ because they are vegetarian marine mammals that nurse their young.
  • They graze on sea grass meadows at the bottom of the ocean, much like cows graze on land.
• Indicator Species: Dugongs serve as an indicator species as their well-being directly reflects the health of the sea grass meadows; a decline in their numbers signifies degradation of the ecosystem.
• Ecosystem Engineer: They are also called “ecosystem engineers” or “gardeners of the sea”. Their grazing helps improve the quality of sea grass, which benefits other marine life, thus helping fishermen who rely on those fish populations.
• Legal Status (India): Dugongs are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, granting them the same high level of protection as animals like the lion or tiger.
• IUCN Status: They are categorized as Vulnerable.
• Distribution: In India, they are found along coastline, mainly in warm waters of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Gulf of Kutch. 
• Decline in Numbers: Their population dwindled to a few hundred due to poaching, by-catch, habitat loss, and pollution, compounded by slow reproductive rates.

Conservation Initiatives

• Dugong Conservation Reserve (2022): The Dugong Conservation Reserve was notified in Palk Bay under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, covering over 12,000 hectares of seagrass meadows.
• Community Participation: Tamil Nadu, supported by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and local communities, has curbed poaching and encouraged fishers to release dugongs caught as by-catch.
• Population Estimates: Wildlife Institute of India (WII) surveys suggest that the Palk Bay population numbers over 200 dugongs, marking progress from earlier fears of extinction.
• Use of Technology: India has experimented with drones, acoustic tools, and satellite-based mapping to monitor and restore seagrass beds.

Challenges In The Conservation of Dugong 

• Fishing and Coastal Pressures: Mechanised fishing, port construction, dredging, and industrial and agricultural pollution continue to damage seagrass meadows.
• Climate Change Threats: Rising sea temperatures, acidification, and storms pose risks to restoration gains.
• Regional Gaps: Dugong populations in Gujarat and the Andaman Islands remain smaller and less protected than in Tamil Nadu.
• Cross-Border Concerns: Since dugongs traverse the Palk Strait, collaboration with Sri Lanka is critical to sustaining recovery.
• Funding Issues: Although compensatory afforestation funds have supported efforts, long-term conservation requires decades of consistent investment.

Broader Lessons for Marine Conservation

• Community-Based Approaches: The Palk Bay reserve demonstrates that involving fishers as partners can reduce by-catch and build local support for conservation.
• International Endorsement: IUCN recognition shows how global validation strengthens domestic conservation and opens avenues for knowledge exchange.
• Blending Tradition and Technology: Combining traditional ecological knowledge with modern tools like drones and echosounders can enhance marine conservation outcomes.

Conclusion

The Palk Bay reserve shows that dugong recovery is possible through sustained protection, community engagement, and technology. However, long-term success depends on regional cooperation, consistent funding, and resilience against climate threats.

DOWNLOAD PDF