India’s First Dugong Reserve Gets IUCN Recognition

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially recognised India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve, located in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu. This recognition — adopted as a formal motion at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi — marks a major international endorsement of India’s marine biodiversity conservation efforts.

Key Highlights

• The motion was proposed by the Omcar Foundation (India-based NGO) and adopted with overwhelming global support:
  • 98% of government members voted in favour.
  • 94.8% of NGOs, research institutions, and civil organisations backed the resolution.
• The motion raised concerns about:
  • Habitat degradation of seagrass meadows.
  • Destructive fishing practices and climate change impacts threatening dugong populations.
• It called for:
  • Community-led conservation strategies for sustainable marine resource use.
  • Strengthened collaboration between IUCN members, the Government of India, the Tamil Nadu Government, and local conservation groups.
• The motion also praised India’s innovative seagrass restoration efforts, including:
  • The use of bamboo and coconut rope frames to restore degraded seagrass meadows.
  • Integration of scientific techniques with community participation — a model recommended for replication across South Asia.

About Dugong Conservation Reserve

• Established: September 21, 2022
• Declared by: Government of Tamil Nadu
• Legal Basis: Section 36A, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• Area Covered: 448.34 sq. km in northern Palk Bay (between Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts).
• Key Feature: Home to 12,250 hectares of seagrass meadows, which serve as crucial feeding grounds for dugongs.
• The Reserve plays a dual role:
  • Protects vulnerable dugong populations (Dugong dugon).
  • Enhances livelihoods of small-scale coastal fishermen by supporting fish, crab, and shrimp breeding.

Dugong (Dugong dugon)

• Scientific Name: Dugong dugon
• Common Name: Sea Cow / Sea Gardener
• Type: Marine mammal (Herbivorous)
• Length: 3–3.5 metres
• Weight: Up to 300 kg
• Lifespan: Up to 70 years
• Diet: Strictly herbivorous — feeds on seagrass, consuming 30–40 kg daily.
• Role: Called the “Gardener of the Sea” because their grazing helps maintain healthy seagrass meadows.
• Etymology:
  • The term “Dugong” originates from the Malay word, meaning “Lady of the Sea.”
• Conservation Status:
  • Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
  • Protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Population and Habitat in India

• Estimated Population (2022): ~240 dugongs in India.

Major Habitats:

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

Preferred Habitat:

• Shallow, warm coastal waters (within 10 metres depth).
• Seagrass meadows along tropical and subtropical coasts.
• Found usually in small groups of 5–7 individuals.

Ecological Role:

• Maintain seagrass bed productivity.
• Support breeding grounds for commercially important fish species.
• Improve carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems.

Threats to Dugong Survival

• Habitat degradation due to coastal development, trawling, and pollution.
• Bycatch in fishing nets and boat collisions.
• Poaching for meat and oil.
• Decline in seagrass ecosystems (especially Cymodocea species).
• Climate change causing seagrass depletion and sea-level rise.

Conservation Efforts

Government Initiatives

• Tamil Nadu Government provides compensation to fishermen to encourage conservation cooperation.
• Strict enforcement of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provisions in dugong habitats.
• Monitoring of dugong sightings and protection of seagrass zones.

Community-Based Conservation

• Local fishermen are trained to report dugong sightings and avoid destructive fishing.
• Awareness programs launched to prevent accidental killings.

Scientific & Technical Measures

• Seagrass restoration projects using eco-friendly materials.
• Collaborative research between MoEFCC, Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, and Omcar Foundation.

International Collaboration

• IUCN resolution encourages global cooperation and knowledge-sharing.
• Promotes technical exchange under the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).

Global and National Significance of IUCN Recognition

• Marks India’s international leadership in marine conservation.
• Draws global funding and research partnerships for biodiversity protection.
• Supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 – Life Below Water.
• Establishes a replicable conservation model for other dugong habitats in the Indian Ocean region.
• Enhances India’s global profile as an advocate for oceanic sustainability.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

• Founded: 1948
• Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• Members: 1,400+ (governments, NGOs, research organisations)
• India’s Membership: Since 1969
• India Office: New Delhi
• Key Role: Maintains the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and sets global conservation standards.
• Flagship Event: World Conservation Congress (WCC) — held every four years (2025 edition in Abu Dhabi).

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

• Enacted: 1972
• Objective: To protect wild animals, birds, and plants and ensure ecological and environmental security.
• Schedule I Species: Provides highest level of protection (offences invite maximum penalties).
• Dugong (Dugong dugon) is listed under Schedule I.

About Seagrass Ecosystems

• Definition: Submerged flowering plants found in shallow marine environments.
• Importance:
  • Serve as feeding grounds for dugongs and turtles.
  • Act as carbon sinks (“blue carbon”).
  • Prevent coastal erosion and stabilize sediments.
• Major Seagrass Species in India: Cymodocea rotundata, Halophila ovalis, Thalassia hemprichii.

Palk Bay

• Location: Between the southeastern coast of India (Tamil Nadu) and northern Sri Lanka.
• Ecological Significance:
  • Rich in seagrass meadows, coral reefs, and mangroves.
  • Important fishing ground for coastal communities.
• Connected to: Gulf of Mannar via Pamban Island (Rameswaram).

World Dugong Day

• Observed on: May 28 every year
• Purpose: To raise awareness on the protection of dugongs and seagrass habitats globally.