Source: BBC
Scientists at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have declared the dugongs “functionally extinct” in China. This means that although there may be a few animals still alive, the population will never recover. Professor Samuel Turvey, from ZSL, co-author of the study, said: “The disappearance of dugongs in China is a serious loss.
The researchers reviewed historical data on dugout sightings in the country, confirming that the last sighting verified by scientists was in 2000. They also looked at the data. from nearly 800 interviews with community members living in coastal areas were identified and found that only three people had seen a manatee in the past five years. Overall, residents reported not seeing a dugout in 23 years on average.
Dumpling populations in China were hunted for their skin, bones and meat in the 20th century and were only protected by the State Council of China in 1988. However, the continued destruction of seagrass habitats The coastal areas on which this animal depends has led to a continued decline in the population.
The rapid loss of seagrass beds is a global problem that threatens dugongs worldwide, including Australia and the Persian Gulf, where the largest populations live. Herbivorous cetaceans, classified as “Validable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also face threats such as: illegal poaching, industrial and agricultural pollution, entangled nets and climate change.
Read more here.
