(MY) tracking of endangered dugongs

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Scientists to track endangered dugongs-Malaysiakini

 

Sep 28, 05 6:13am

 

Dugongs living in the waters off Malaysia's south coast will be fitted with

electronic tags as part of efforts to create sanctuaries for the endangered

species, a UN official said today.

 

" Tagging them with transmitters will give us a better idea of (their

movements). Are they stationary in one area or do they move around? " said

United Nations Development Programme official Ginny Ng.

 

Ng said the tagging by Malaysian scientists, to begin in the next few

months, is part of the second phase of a conservation project launched six

months ago. They do not know how many animals they will be able to tag.

 

Dugongs, a large herbivorous sea mammal, are mainly found in the shallow

warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region, and Malaysia's main habitats are off

the coasts of Johor and Sabah on Borneo island.

 

Ng said little research had been done into the mammals, which are known for

their gentle nature, but the first phase of the project looking into their

presence and habitats had yielded nine sightings in Johor waters.

 

" We were pleasantly surprised with the results of the study, " she told AFP.

" We also found the carcass of a pregnant female dugong, which shows the

population is in some ways breeding. "

 

Few offsprings

 

Scientists are hoping the research findings into the dugongs and their

seagrass feeding grounds will lead to the creation of sanctuaries off Johor,

which faces onto Singapore.

 

" The Johor government has actually put a paper to the cabinet that they want

sanctuaries for dugongs in certain areas, but the process is still ongoing, "

Ng said.

 

Famously mistaken for mermaids by sailors, dugongs are the only herbivorous

creature who are marine dwelling and can live for up to 60 years.

 

However they do not produce many offspring, and populations are unlikely to

increase at more than five percent a year, according to the UN's Environment

Programme.

 

Coastal degradation, increasing shipping traffic, being accidentally caught

in fishing nets and hunting are contributing to their declining numbers, it

said.

 

Dugongs, seal-like creatures, are descended from terrestrial swamp browsers

that lived 55 million years ago and can grow to 3.5 metres in length and

weigh 400 kilograms.

 

- AFP

 

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