1 UNEP/DEWA/RS.02-1 Dugong Status Report and Action Plans for Countries and Territories ©Doug Perrine/Seapics.com Early Warning and Assessment Report Series and Early Warning Dugong Status Reports and Action Plans for Countries and Territories © Doug Perrine/seapics.com Compiled by HELENE MARSH Action Plan Coordinator IUCN/SSC Sirenia Specialist Group HELEN PENROSE,CAROLE EROS, AND JOANNA HUGUES School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography James Cook University, Townsville, Australia Cooperative Research Centre for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area James Cook University, Townsville, Australia United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre Cambridge, United Kingdom IUCN The World Conservation Union SPECIES SURVIVAL COMMISSION Cover Photograph: Dugong (Dugong dugon) © Doug Perrine/seapics.com Dugong Status Report and Action Plans for Countries and Territories UNEP/DEWA/RS.02-1 ISBN 92-807-2130-5 DISCLAIMER Information for maps was sourced from the Macquarie Illustrated World Atlas, 1995; the Times Atlas of the World (9th Comprehensive Edition), 1994 (map of Palau); and the Atlas of the South Pacific, 1986 (map of Malakula). Overview maps (smallest scale) were created using ArcWorld continental coverage, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 1992 (1:3 million). All other maps were created using Digital Chart of the World, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 1992 (1:1 million). The information represented on these maps results from the compilation of a variety of source materials. They are intended to illustrate the text of this report. The Cartography Centre of the School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography, James Cook University, makes no representation or warranty concerning the accuracy of this information, nor claims it as a legal cartographic resource. CRICOS Provider No.: 00117J Contents Page Page Executive Summary ........................................1 RED SEA Distribution and Abundance....................................26 Acknowledgements..........................................4 Threatening Processes Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................26 Fishing Pressure....................................................28 Chapter 1 – Introduction................................5 Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................28 Boat-related Impacts and Ecotourism...................28 Distribution and Abundance......................................5 Existing Conservation Initiatives Life History..................................................................6 Legislation.............................................................28 Diet................................................................................7 Management..........................................................28 Habitat ......................................................................7 Suggested Conservation Initiatives Movements...................................................................7 Research ................................................................29 Genetic Population Structure ....................................8 Management..........................................................29 Threatening Processes ................................................8 Conclusions................................................................30 Habitat Loss and Degradation.................................9 Fishing Pressure ......................................................9 THE ARABIAN GULF Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................10 Distribution and Abundance....................................31 Vessel Strikes ........................................................10 Threatening Processes ..............................................32 Ecotourism ............................................................10 Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................32 Acoustic Pollution .................................................11 Fishing Pressure ....................................................32 Chemical Pollutants...............................................11 Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................33 Diseases.................................................................12 Existing Conservation Initiatives Susceptibility to Mortality During Legislation.............................................................33 Capture for Research.............................................12 Research ................................................................33 Approaches to Management ....................................12 Suggested Conservation Initiatives Layout of this Document..........................................13 Research ................................................................34 Management..........................................................34 Chapter 2 – Western Range: East Africa, Conclusions................................................................35 Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf ................19 Suggested Conservation Initiatives for the Arabian Region (Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf) EAST AFRICA Research ................................................................35 Distribution and Abundance....................................19 Management..........................................................35 Somalia..................................................................19 Kenya ....................................................................19 Chapter 3 – India and Sri Lanka Tanzania.................................................................19 INDIA WITH THE ANDAMAN AND Mozambique..........................................................20 NICOBAR ISLANDS, AND SRI LANKA Madagascar............................................................21 Distribution and Abundance....................................36 Comoros Archipelago, Mayotte, India (including Andaman and Seychelles and Mauritius ......................................22 Nicobar Islands)...............................................36 Threatening Processes Sri Lanka ...............................................................38 Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................22 Threatening Processes Fishing Pressure ....................................................22 Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................38 Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................23 Fishing Pressure ....................................................38 Existing Conservation Initiatives Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................39 Legislation.............................................................23 Conservation Initiatives Currently in Place Kenya .......................................................................23 Mozambique.............................................................24 Legislation.............................................................39 Management .........................................................24 Research ................................................................39 Kenya .......................................................................24 Management..........................................................39 Mozambique.............................................................24 Suggested Conservation Initiatives Suggested Conservation Initiatives Research ................................................................39 Research ................................................................24 Management..........................................................40 Management..........................................................25 Conclusions................................................................40 Conclusions................................................................25 iii Contents (continued) Page Page Chapter 4 – East and Southeast Asia THAILAND, CAMBODIA, VIETNAM Distribution and Abundance....................................59 JAPAN Thailand....................................................................59 Distribution and Abundance....................................41 Cambodia and Vietnam............................................61 Threatening Processes Threatening Processes Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................42 Habitat Loss and Degradation...............................61 Fishing Pressure ....................................................43 Thailand....................................................................61 Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................43 Vietnam and Cambodia............................................62 Existing Conservation Initiatives Fishing Pressure ....................................................62 Legislation.............................................................43 Thailand....................................................................62 Research ................................................................43 Vietnam and Cambodia............................................63 Management..........................................................44 Indigenous Use and Hunting.................................63 Suggested Conservation Initiatives Thailand....................................................................63 Vietnam and Cambodia............................................63 Research ................................................................44 Boat-related Impacts .............................................64 Management..........................................................45