Why in the News?
May 28 is celebrated every year as World Dugong Day.
About Dugongs:
- Species Info: Dugong dugon, also known as sea cows, are herbivorous marine mammals closely related to manatees but live only in saltwater.
- Habitat: They live in shallow coastal waters and are mainly found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Gulf of Kutch.
- Diet and Role: Dugongs feed on seagrass species like Cymodocea, Halophila, Thalassia, and Halodule. As they graze, they stir up the seabed, earning the nickname “farmers of the sea.”
- Lifespan and Behaviour: They can live up to 70 years and are usually solitary or seen in mother-calf pairs.
- Reproduction: Females mature at 9–10 years and give birth every 3–5 years, resulting in a slow population growth of about 5% per year.
- Conservation Concern: India’s dugong population has dropped to an estimated 200 individuals, with shrinking range and numbers.
Conservation Efforts in India:
- IUCN Status: Dugongs are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ globally and ‘Regionally Endangered’ in India.
- Legal Protection: They are protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Global Agreements: India joined the Convention on Migratory Species in 1983 and signed the Dugong Conservation MoU in 2008.
- Dugong Reserve: In 2022, India established its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu, covering 448.3 sq. km.
| [UPSC 2015] With reference to ‘dugong’ a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a herbivorous marine animal. 2. It is found along the entire coast of India. 3. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Options: (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 * (d) 3 only |
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