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Dugong conservation in focus: India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve
വാർത്തയിൽ എന്തുകൊണ്ട്?
A sea cow that eats only grass: the Palk Bay reserve Prelims environment questions can build on
The dugong, a seagrass-grazing marine mammal, is protected in India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, notified in 2022.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2015; factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 മിനിറ്റ്
The dugong, a marine mammal often called the sea cow, grazes on seagrass meadows and is a flagship species for coastal conservation.
India notified its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu, in 2022, to protect the animal and the seagrass beds it depends on.
The species is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
ഉറവിടങ്ങൾ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
പ്രധാന വസ്തുതകൾ
Remember these
- Dugong (Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal called the sea cow; it grazes on seagrass meadows
- India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve was notified in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu, in 2022
- Dugong is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- Dugongs are found in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Dugong is the only strictly herbivorous marine mammal; it belongs to the order Sirenia, with manatees
പ്രിലിംസ് · മെയിൻസ്
How the exam will ask it
പ്രിലിംസ്
- The dugong is a marine mammal that feeds mainly on seagrass, so its survival depends on healthy seagrass meadows.
- India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve is located in Palk Bay off Tamil Nadu and was notified in 2022.
- The dugong is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which gives it the highest protection.
- A conservation reserve under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 is declared by the State Government, often on community or government land.
മെയിൻസ്
GS-III (Environment): the dugong is a flagship species whose survival depends on seagrass ecosystems, which also store carbon and support fisheries. The Palk Bay Conservation Reserve uses the conservation reserve provision of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, but threats such as bycatch in fishing nets, trawling and coastal pollution persist. The way forward lies in community involvement of fishers, seagrass restoration, regulation of destructive fishing and monitoring of dugong populations.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
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 I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 and 2
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- 3 only
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: C
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The dugong, a marine mammal protected in India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve, feeds mainly on which of the following?
- Coral polyps
- Jellyfish
- Seagrass
- Phytoplankton
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: C — The correct answer is seagrass, the meadows of which the dugong grazes, which is why seagrass beds are protected along with it.
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