>
>
> FWD Times of India
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Dugongs may have left Indian coasts for good
>
> SUROJIT MAHALONBIS
>
> TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2005 07:42:41 PM ]
>
>
> NEW DELHI: India seems to have lost its legendary "mermaids" from its
seas,
> zoologically called Sirenaid or Dugong dugong. Country's most coveted
> underwater wonders, the veggy dugongs, lived on the coastal grasslands in
> the Andamans.
>
> Even after six months the tsunami hit the islands, the ministry of
> environment and forests (MoEF) doesn't have a proper reply to question,
> exactly what's being done on restoration of the lost eco-systems and
> dugongs?
>
> Tsunami wrecked the Dugong Creek, dugongs' habitat centre, while it
> devastated the Andamans. Sources from the islands said over telephone, "We
> seem to have lost all dugongs to the tsunami".
>
> Asked what is being done to remake the damaged coral reefs, the dugongs'
> favourite camouflaged route to the coastal grasslands, sources said, "We
are
> planning to work out something, however, all depends on how much support
we
> get from Delhi. The local administration doesn't have funds to go for
> expensive habitat restoration programmes."
>
> The coral reefs provide dugongs the escape route to avoid stalking
predators
> such as sharks. They feed on grass available in coastal grasslands. Most
> likely they are now feeding on grass in the coasts of the Pacific, the
> Atlantic and in some seas. Though census of underwater animals is
generally
> a hectic job, countries, particularly Australia, carry out routine
censuses
> by creating habitats, sources said.
>
> The MoEF mandarins held many meetings, made expensive trips but ended up
> mulling plans only, and no action, till date. The wildlife director
general
> RB Lall was found in perpetual "meetings". His deputy Col RPS Katwal "in
> tours", and secretary Prodipto Ghosh ducked questions, fielding, "We have
> started restoration of the coral reefs. What human value the dugongs has
for
> India? We have so many other priorities, why so much focus on dugongs?"
>
> Dugong is one of the ancient living creatures underwater and are most
> interesting aquatic animals academically. They surf on waters every 15
> minutes like Gangetic Dolphins and whales, for breathing. Unlike whale and
> dolphins, dugongs release breathing sounds like musical notes, hence were
> named Sirenades.
>
> Dugongs are humanly social, live in familial bonds, surrender en masse if
> any of their family members be netted by a fisherman by chance and will
not
> injure any living creature. Perfect non-violent underwater giants, dugongs
> exert much academic curiosity just as their bigger fraternity Sea-Cows
did.
> Nature has lost Sea-Cows to poachers, average four meter-long grass-eating
> beasts, which lived in familial bondage. Are we also going to lose dugongs
> for good, for the posterity?
>
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1152749.cms
>
>
>
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