Dugong Conservation Reserve

Why in news?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, has formally adopted a motion recognizing India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, India.

• It is India’s 1^st conservation reserve for Dugong.
• Situated in - Palk Bay region covering the coastal waters of Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Established in - 2022 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• The region is home to seagrass meadows, vital feeding grounds for dugongs.
• Global Recognition – It recently got International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognition for its marine conservation efforts.
• Key highlights in conservation congress, 2025 - IUCN members highlighted the innovative restoration techniques pioneered in the reserve, including the use of bamboo and coconut rope frames to rehabilitate seagrass meadows.
• The initiative was praised for integrating scientific methods with community participation, setting a model for conservation across South Asia.

Dugong (Sea Cow)

• Dugong is a large marine herbivorous mammal.
• Scientific name - Dugong dugon.
• Family – Dugongidae.
• Size – Dugongs can grow to a size of over 300 kilograms measuring 3.0 to3.5 metre in length.
• Habitat – Dugong are usually found in calm sheltered, nutrient-rich shallow waters.
  • It lives within 10 metre depth not far from the shore, usually in groups limited to 5 to 7 individuals among the seagrass beds.
• Distribution – Dugongs only occur in tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, with their range is extensive, spanning 37 countries and territories from East Africa to Vanuatu.
  • In India - Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The dugongs that inhabited waters off the Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh coasts two centuries back became extinct now.
• Population – There were just 250 dugongs in the Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat).
• Diet – Each dugong consumes 30 to 4okg of seagrass a day.
• Conservation Status –
  • IUCN – Vulnerable.
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 - Schedule 1.
  • CITES - Appendix I.

• Threats – Habitat degradation, destructive fishing practices, and the impacts of climate change.

References

1. The Hindu | Recognition to dugong reserve
2. The Hindu | Dugong Conservation Reserve
3. Dugong & Seagrass Hub | National Action Plan for Dugong in India