Australia’s Sea Cows Struggle to Survive Poachers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/10/03/australias-sea-cows-struggle-survive-poachers?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2014-10-03


The dugong, a cousin of the Florida manatee, also faces threats from habitat loss, boat collisions, and fishing.



(Photo: Doug Perrine/Getty Images)

October 03, 2014 By John R. Platt

John R. Platt covers the environment, technology, philanthropy, and more for Scientific American, Conservation, Lion, and other publications.


It sucks to be a sea cow.

Like the manatees of Florida, dugongs in northern Australia encounter numerous threats. These lumbering marine mammals face a gauntlet of man-made obstacles, including boat strikes and fishing net entanglements, and when their sea grass beds disappear because of coastal development and pollution, starvation can set in.

But dugongs face dangers even manatees can’t relate to: poaching and the illegal trade in their meat. The problem has become so bad in recent years that the Australian government just pledged $4.4 million to protect the animals and stop the illegal trade in dugong and turtle meat.

Dugongs are protected as an endangered species in Australia—and international law also bans the trade in dugong meat or other products—but indigenous peoples are allowed to hunt the animals. Many of Australia’s native communities depend on dugong hunting for a large part of their diet, and the meat is an important part of ceremonial feasts.

FULL story at link.

[Tanuki]

1. Save the dugong!

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