Why India’s Dugongs Are Under Threat

Source: The Indian Express

Relevance: Prelims (species protection, habitats, laws), GS Paper III (Environment — biodiversity, coastal ecosystems).

Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:

For Prelims:

Dugong (species protection, habitats, laws), Dugong Conservation Reserve (Palk Bay), IUCN Conservation Congress 2025

For Mains:

Ecosystem services of seagrass meadows, Anthropogenic threats, Conservation policy instruments, Socio-economic trade-offs.

Why in News?

A global IUCN assessment (presented at the IUCN Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi, 2025) highlighted rising threats to dugongs in South Asia and raised concerns about the long-term survival of Indian populations, especially in the Gulf of Kutch and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Recent Indian studies also report toxic metal accumulation in stranded dugongs. Now, the species is vulnerable to extinction due to fishing and pollution.

IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

Organizer: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Type: Quadrennial global conservation summit (every 4 years)
Host (2025): Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Purpose: World’s largest conservation policy forum; shapes global biodiversity & climate agenda.
India’s Membership: IUCN State Member since 1969
First Congress: 1948
Last Congress: Marseille, France (2021)

What are Dugongs?

Dugong (Dugong dugon): large, slow-moving marine mammal (up to ~3 m long / ~420 kg weight).
Diet: strictly herbivorous — feeds on seagrass (30–40 kg/day per individual).
Habitat: shallow, sheltered coastal waters, bays, lagoons, estuaries (<10 m depth).

Prelims Facts

About Dugongs

Species: Dugongs (Dugong dugon) – only herbivorous marine mammals in India.
Appearance: Nicknamed sea cows; they resemble a mix of seals and whales.
Distribution: Found in Indo-Pacific waters, especially near Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Gulf of Kutch.

Habitat: Depend on shallow seagrass meadows (e.g., Cymodocea, Halophila, Thalassia, Halodule).
Longevity: Live up to 70 years.
Reproduction: Mature at 9–10 years, calve every 3–5 years; growth rate ~5% annually.
Conservation Status:
IUCN: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
Threats: Habitat loss, seagrass degradation, fishing gear entanglement, pollution, and climate change.
May 28th – World Dugong Day

Geographical Distribution in India

Primary seascapes:

Gulf of Mannar – Palk Bay (Tamil Nadu) — largest remaining population.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands — smaller, fragmented group.
Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat) — very few individuals.

Ecological significance of dugongs

Dugongs maintain healthy seagrass meadows by grazing (pruning, uprooting old shoots).
Seagrass beds are key blue carbon sinks and support fisheries — estimated incremental fish production value from seagrass presence (local studies cite substantial economic benefit).
Dugong grazing stimulates nutrient cycling and habitat heterogeneity benefitting commercially important species.

Status & population estimates

IUCN:Vulnerable
India estimates vary: historic ~200 (2012 MoEFCC), recent estimates range from <250 to 400–450 depending on survey methods and sources.
Regional counts: Palk Bay ~150–200; Andamans <50; Gulf of Kutch <20. Precise numbers uncertain due to survey challenges.

Major threats — Human activities & habitat degradation

Fishing bycatch: accidental entanglement in nets — leading cause of mortality.
Coastal pollution & runoff: industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage increase turbidity and deposit metals in sediments, degrading seagrass.
Toxic contamination: metals settle in seagrass sediments and bioaccumulate in dugongs.
Habitat loss & disturbance: coastal development, dredging, trawling, boat traffic, tourism.
Low reproductive rate: slow breeding (long inter-birth intervals) makes populations vulnerable to even small increases in mortality.
Fragmentation: small, isolated subpopulations reduce genetic resilience.

Scientific evidence

Trace metals study (Marine Pollution Bulletin): arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead detected in organs of stranded dugongs (analysis of 46 stranded individuals) — indicates pollution pathways from land to seagrass sediments to dugongs.
Bycatch records & sightings: field reports and local studies show fisheries-related deaths remain significant despite some reductions.

Government conservation measures

Legal protection: Dugong listed under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
MoEFCC Task Force (2010): constituted for dugong conservation planning.
National Dugong Recovery Programme: partnership with Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Dugong Conservation Reserve (Palk Bay, 2022): a 448 sq. km protected seascape to conserve dugongs & seagrass.
Research & monitoring: periodic surveys, stranding response, localized community engagement initiatives.

Key challenges / gaps

Survey limitations: Murky waters and elusive behaviour make accurate population estimates difficult.
Enforcement weakness: Protected zones often face weak implementation; illegal/unsuitable fishing gear persists.
Lack of affordable alternatives: Fishers lack cost-effective gear alternatives to reduce bycatch.
Pollution control shortfalls: Inadequate treatment of industrial/agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater.
Limited incentives: Insufficient incentive schemes for fishers to shift to dugong-friendly practices.
Coordination: Need for stronger inter-state and central coordination for coastal conservation.

Way forward (Policy & Conservation Recommendations)

Strengthen habitat protection: Enforce no-trawl/no-seine zones in critical seagrass meadows; expand marine protected areas around dugong hotspots.
Bycatch mitigation: Promote and subsidise dugong-friendly fishing gear; time-area closures during key movement periods.
Pollution reduction: Enforce effluent norms, treat municipal sewage, control agricultural runoff; monitor metal discharges from industry.
Regular scientific monitoring: Long-term aerial/boat surveys, eDNA and remote sensing of seagrass, stranding networks and necropsies.
Community-based conservation: Engage fishing communities with incentives, alternative livelihoods and co-management.
Awareness & education: local outreach on dugong value, blue carbon benefits, and safe fishing practices.
Rehabilitation & rescue protocols: strengthen rapid response for stranded or entangled dugongs.
Integrate conservation with fisheries policy: align fishers’ welfare with dugong protection through compensation/subsidy schemes.

Way forward (Policy & Conservation Recommendations)

Strengthen habitat protection: Enforce no-trawl/no-seine zones in critical seagrass meadows; expand marine protected areas around dugong hotspots.
Bycatch mitigation: Promote and subsidise dugong-friendly fishing gear; time-area closures during key movement periods.
Pollution reduction: Enforce effluent norms, treat municipal sewage, control agricultural runoff; monitor metal discharges from industry.
Regular scientific monitoring: Long-term aerial/boat surveys, eDNA and remote sensing of seagrass, stranding networks and necropsies.
Community-based conservation: Engage fishing communities with incentives, alternative livelihoods and co-management.
Awareness & education: local outreach on dugong value, blue carbon benefits, and safe fishing practices.
Rehabilitation & rescue protocols: strengthen rapid response for stranded or entangled dugongs.
Integrate conservation with fisheries policy: align fishers’ welfare with dugong protection through compensation/subsidy schemes.

Conclusion

Dugongs are sentinel species for healthy seagrass ecosystems and provide vital ecological and economic services. Their decline in India — driven largely by fisheries bycatch, pollution and habitat degradation — signals broader coastal ecosystem stress. Legal protection and reserves are positive steps, but reversing decline requires stronger enforcement, pollution control, fisher engagement, habitat restoration and sustained scientific monitoring.

UPSC PYQ

With reference to dugong, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

It is a herbivorous marine animal.
It is found along the entire coast of India.
It is given legal protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 (d) 3 only Answer: (c) 1 and 3 Explanation Statement 1: Correct Dugong (Dugong dugon) is the only exclusively herbivorous marine mammal, feeding on seagrass → hence also called the sea cow. Statement 2: Incorrect Dugongs are not found along the entire Indian coast. They occur only in three limited regions:

Gulf of Mannar–Palk Bay (Tamil Nadu)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat)

Statement 3: Correct Dugongs are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, giving them the highest level of protection.