Dugong | 24 Jan 2026

Source: TH 

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recommended a major design overhaul of the proposed International Dugong Conservation Centre in Manora, Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu). 

• The proposed centre is located within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-III No Development Zone and overlapping CRZ-I areas containing mangroves and seagrass meadows. 

Dugong

• About: The dugong is a large marine mammal featuring a dolphin-like tail, and can grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh around 420 kg. They are also called sea cows and farmers of the sea. 
• Habitat & Diet: They are strictly herbivorous, feeding primarily on seagrass meadows, living in shallow, warm coastal waters (<10m depth) like bays and lagoons. 
• Indian Distribution: Found in the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar–Palk Bay, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  
• Behaviour & Reproduction: They are long-lived (up to 70 years), typically solitary or in small pairs. They have a slow reproductive cycle, reaching maturity at 9–10 years and giving birth only every 3–5 years. 
• Conservation Status: Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, protected under Appendix I of CITES (banning international trade), and under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.