Farmers of the Sea: India’s Dugongs Should Keep a Conservation Precedence

Waving Meadows of Emerald Grasses Half as a Portly Form Drifts by the Shaallow Watters. Like a Blimp Led Astray, The Creature Makes use of Its Entrance Flippers to Paddle Gently because it Nibbles on the Seagrass that makes its residence. Silt stars from the shallow seafloor, coral reefs reveal themselves in a riot of colours, with shoals of fish scurrying out of the best way, and an entry ecoSystem become visible.

Meet the dugong – the farmer of the ocean.

Could 28 is widely known yearly as world dugong day. Dugongs (Dugong dugon) Are the one herbivorous mammals present in India’s marine ecosystems. This Light Big-Often called the Sea Cow however Resmaling a Cross Between a Seal and A Whale-Is Distributed By way of the Indo-Pacific area. As a result of their dependence on Seagras Beds for Habitat and Meals, Dugongs are restricted to shallow watters, the place they spend the day the day feeding on seagrass of the genera Cymodocea, Halophila, Thalassiaand HaloduleThey root on the base of quick Seagrass Species, Consuming rhizomes, stems, and leaves, thus clouding the shallow watters. That is how they eat their epitaph. (Additionally see the addressum.)

Seagrass is low in vitamins, so dugongs feed extensively by the day to satisfy their day by day necessities. They will devour 20-30 tonnes of seagrass per day, crushing leaves and stems towards their horned enamel earlier than swallowing. In contrast to Different Marine Mammals, The Approach They Eat Permits Dugongs to Digest Cellulose, Though the method wears wears down their enamel Shortly. For that reason, dugongs quickly regrow enamel in a number of iterations all through their lives.

In contrast to Manatees, their shut family, dugongs are extra strictly marine, preferring waters a couple of metres Deep. They’re discovered alongside the Indian Shoreline, Primarily Inhabiting Heat Waters Across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, The Gulf of Mannar, Palk bayAnd the gulf of kutch. The dugong is a long-live Species, In a position to Dwell As much as 70 years.

Dugongs are additionally usually solitary or present in small mother-caalf pairs. Researchers have obscationally noticed small teams, however giant herds – as are frequent in australian watters – are uncommon in India.

People Attain reproductive maturity after solely 9 or ten years and may give start at intervals of Round three to 5 years. As a result of its gradual reproductive cycle, prolonged time to maturity, and rare calving, a dugong inhabitants’s most potential progress price is estimated to be nearly 5% per per yr.

Threatened Waters

However for his or her unassuming nature, dugongs are listed as being ‘weak’ on the IUCN Pink Listing for Threatened Species. The threats they face worldwide embrace quickly declining populations and the continuing degradation of their seagras habitats. In India, they’re labeled as ‘regional endangered’. As soon as Widespread in Indian Watters, their numbers have dwindled to an estimated 200 people, with each their inhabitants measurement and geographic vary persevering with to declinee.

In keeping with analysis by unbiased Marine Researcher Prachi Hatkar, Coastal Areas Round India Are More and more Beneath Stress from Expending Residential, Recorder, Recruitment. As extra individuals stake declare to those areas, the chance of air pollution rises. Air pollution may also have an effect on them straight, with research exhibiting the buildup of mercury and organochlorine compounds of their muscle tissues.

As a result of Dugongs Reproduus Slowly and Require Huge, Undisturband Seagrass Meadows to Thrive, their inhabitants are extremely weak to human disturbances. Seagrass meadows, their primery habitats, are being misplaced at an alarming price. Main Threats stem from altering fishing strategies, which threaten the meadows. Fishers As soon as Relized on Non-Mechanised Boats to Fish in Shaallow Waters, Together with Seagrass Habitats. However with the appearance of contemporary fishing applied sciences, these conventional boats have steadily given method to mainise ons.

The Development of Ports, Dredging, and Land Reclamation for Industries and Tourism have additionally additionally additionally wreaked havoc on these delicate ecosystems, and air pollution from agricultural Runoff, SevaF, Candy, Candy, Candy Degraded Water High quality, Affecting Seagrass Well being.

The Ever-PRET Risk of Local weather Change, Perceptable in Rising Sea Temperatures, Ocean Acidification, and Excessive Climate Occasions like Cyclones, Impacts Seagrass Ecosystems, Decreasing the Availability of meals in addition to secure breeding habitats for dugongs.

One other Main Risk to Dugong Populations in Indian Watters is Unintentional Entanglement in Fishing GearParticularly gillnets and trawl nets. Dugongs are Air-Respiration Mammals that Should Floor Frequently. However As soon as Entangled, They usually Drown Earlier than Fishers can launch them. Many of those deaths go unreported, additional complicating conservation efforts.

Elevated Human Motion and Exercise in Dugong Habitats and Extra Boat Visitors within the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and the Gulf of Kachchh – All Instantly Threatn The Species. Dugongs additionally usually relaxation close to the floor, making them weak to collisions with fast-moving boats, resulting in harm or fatalities.

But One other Risk is Unlawful Looking. Whereas Dugongs are a Schedule I Species in India, Having fun with The Highest Degree of Safety Granted by Regulation, Poaching Nonetheless Happens, Particularly within the Distant Areas of the and Nicobar islands.

Strategy to the long run

In contrast to Manates, Dugongs are Shy Creatures, Preferring to Keep away from Interacing with People when Attainable. This creates a normal Lack of understanding in regards to the speech, even Amongst Coastal and Fishing Communities, in addition to much less attentions from the bigger conservation group. India has been get together to the conference on the conservation of migratory speech of untamed animals since 1983 and has additionally been additionally been a signature to the conference’s memorandum of undersrstanding on Dugong CONGEMANT Throughout their vary since 2008.

In 2022, The Authorities of India formally Introduced the creation of the nation’s First Dugong Conservation ReserveSpanning 448.3 sq. Km within the coastal waters of palk bay, tamil nadu. Latest Research Have Indicated that Bay is the Final Strongold for these mild herbivores in Indian watters, and the proposed reserve space has round 122.5 sq. KM of Intact Seagrass Beds, ENSURING Habitat and Meals for the Dugong Inhabitants.

This transfer, to guard the speech at a nationwide stage, stems from long-term monitoring and analysis by the omcar basis (an ngo), the wildlife institute of India, and the Tamil Nadu FOREST DePARTMENT: They’ve been Working to enhance dugong conservation and seagrass restoration for greater than a decade. Their efforts can go a great distance in guaranteeing the survival of dugongs and their delicate lives.

“Dugongs are mild giats and act as gardeners of the ocean, quietly shaping our Oceans by nurturing seagrass meadows,” MS. Hatkar stated. “However their survival now is dependent upon Ors – on how Urgently we act to guard their fading habitats from air pollution, coastal growth, and neglect.”

Serving to dugong conservation

An vital step individuals can take is to guard and restore seagrass habitats. To take action, we’d like rigorous mapping and monitoring of current seagrass meadows to establish extra precedence conservation areas, very similar to the gulf of mannar biosphere reserver. Actions that injury seagrass should be restricted and communicated seagrass stewardship, Involving Involving Native Fishes to Monitor and Restore Seagras, Can Go A Lengthy Approach In Maiting the Dugongongs’ Habitat. Regulating Dangerous Fishing Practices, Reminiscent of Banning Gill Nets and Backside Trawling, In Identified Dugong Habitats will even additionally assist stop accountal entanglement.

We additionally want to advertise non-destructive, sustainable fishing strategies that fisherfolk have used previously. Different Livelihood Choices Reminiscent of Dugong-friendly ecotourism utilizing Native Youth as Eco-Guides Can Fulfil The Twin Position of Monitoring Dugong Inhabitants Whereas Raizing Awaareness of Provision Conduct, All Whereas Empowering Native Communities.

Growing Consciousness and Neighborhood Involvement Have All the time Been Essential Points of Dugong Conservation. Many Conservation Practitioners are Conducting Consciousness Campaigns in Coastal Villages About The Ecological Significance of Dugongs, and Many Native Communities and Fisters are educated to return dugongon Sightings or strandings, facilitating rescue operations when wanted.

One other Essential Side is Strengthaning Analysis. Researchers want extra help, Each Monetary and Institutional, For Lengthy-Time period Research of Dugong Inhabitants, Behavioors, Genetics, and Threats. Creating Citizen Science Programmes and Utilizing The Conventional Ecological Information of Native Communities will add one other dimension to current analysis. Further, Advances in Tagging and Drone Know-how Can Be Mobilized To Monitor Dugong actions and establish essential habitats.

Addendum: Why Seagrass Issues

Seagrass is an underwater flowing plant, to not be confused with Seaweed. Labeled as wetland ecosystems, seagrass meadows stabilise the seafloor, help fisheries, seize carbon, and shelter marine life. Wholesome seagrass is important for dugongs and marine life equivalent to turtles and fish. A 2022 research by the nationwide heart for sustainable coastal administration doc 516.59 sq. KM of Seagrass Habitat in India. This interprets to a carbon dioxide sequestration potential of as much as 434.9 tonnes per sq. Km Every year.

India’s most prolonged seagras meadows happen alongside the gulf of mannar and palk bay, off the coast of tamil nadu, and collectively help greater than 13 Species of Seagras The andaman and nicobar islands additionally help wealthy seagras beds and associateed biodiversity. Whereas seagrass is current within the shallow reefs of the lakshadweep islands and alongside the coast of kachchh, they’re patchy regardless of being ecologically important. In Kachchh in Specific, Port Actions and Air pollution Threten these coastal wetlands. The coast of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha additionally helps minor seagrass beds alongside the Estuaries, however these habitats are usually not prolonged or appropriate for dugong inhabitants in the present day.

Priya ranganathan is a doctoral pupil and researcher on the Ashoka Belief for Analysis in Ecology and the Setting (Atree), Bengaluru.