Dugongs, a relative of manatees, are found off the coast of Africa and Australia. Steve Irwin’s dad, Bob, is on a mission for an “immediate moratorium on the hunting of endangered dugongs and sea turtles around the Australian coastline by Indigenous hunters.” Politicians have also been calling for the end to the hunting of dugongs and turtles after the 2004 research of Helene Marsh made a serious impact. All of their efforts, coupled with new findings that dugongs spend more time underwater than previously thought, has led Marsh to be more optimistic about the future of the endangered dugong (Although with the recent depletion of sea grass there is still an uphill battle).
4 fun facts about dugongs:
1. Dugongs are very similar in features to manatees but have a fluked tail.
2. In a group, dugongs are called a herd.
3. A common ‘common name’ for the dugong is the ‘sea cow’ since they enjoy grazing on sea grass.
4. All dugongs grow tusks but they only break the skin and are visible in mature males.
Image (c) flickerriver.com
Helene marsh wrote this in 1998 .Professor Marsh defends traditional hunting rights and says the importance of dugongs to Islander culture must be recognised. But she predicts that dugongs will disappear from all areas of the world apart from far north Queensland and the Torres Strait within the next century and that this last “dugong Serengeti” will also be endangered unless an effective scheme is implemented. Report
and she wrote “The future of coastal marine mammals is extremely bleak. If we can’t get our act together those species are going to go, ” she says. “In the Torres Strait the situation could be managed quite easily and it could be very empowering for the local people….Australia is a custodian of marine biodiversity. We have a responsibility to act.”
she flip flops around like a dying fish. Now she has a new job as the head of the endangered species committee she changes her mind again.
check out why bob and I are trying to save them. http://dugongandturtles.webs.com/