Mammoth loss
The dwindling population of the endangered dugongs suffered one more loss recently in the Andaman and Nicobar islands
gentle giantThe ancient creatures are the only 100 per cent marine herbivores
There is bad news for marine life enthusiasts. A highly endangered breeding female Dugong dugong was recently poached at Neil Island in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
According to Wildlife SOS, a non-profit charity that works for animal welfare in India and the US, poachers used nets and spears to maim and capture the female dugong and hacked the animal to use the meat as fish bait.
What makes it even more tragic is that the dugong has left behind a calf which perhaps won’t be able to make it as the mother-calf bond between a dugong and her child is quite strong.
A mother nurtures her baby for as long as six years. Dugongs are extremely gentle sea-mammals that graze on underwater grass.
They are the only 100 per cent marine herbivores. The ancient underwater creatures surface every 15 minutes to breathe,creating sounds like musical notes;so they are also called Sirenades.No-net zone
The double loss, coupled with the fact that this is reportedly the third such instance of poaching in the area, has set the animal rights activists panicking.
The forest department too needs to get its act together for it can’t afford to lose this precious underwater species, a sizeable chunk of which was lost during the Tsunami’s wreckage in the Andamans.
“The grass bed on which dugongs graze lies outside the protected area but even that has been declared a no-net zone. It’s a serious issue for dugong also happen to be the state animal. We are waiting for the new guidelines that will allow us to intensively patrol the unprotected areas as well. The new scheme will enable us to buy new boats for patrolling,” says Khajan Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden of the area.
“There…More
