Save Dugong

Pilot project by TN forest Dept to protect dugong, the endangered marine mammal

Dugong- a critically endangered species and the only existing herbivorous mammal feeding on sea grass that lives exclusively in the sea in India.

The dugong has been hunted for thousands of years for its meat and oil. 
Despite being legally protected in many countries, the main causes of population decline remain anthropogenic and include fishing-related fatalities, habitat degradation,boat strikes,pollution and hunting. With its long lifespan of 70 years or more, and slow rate of reproduction, the dugong is especially vulnerable to extinction.

Dugongs are endangered and quickly disappearing now a days.
Threat evaluation, putting an end to illegal and incidental captures, reducing marine pollution through serious monitoring are some of the measures researchers suggested to protect dugong from extinction.
To support this cause, the Forest department of Tamil Nadu has launched a project under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening project to protect dugong, the endangered marine mammal by joining hands with fisherman. A mobile app was developed and fishermen with android mobile phones would be roped in to implement this project. Using the app, fishermen who set out for fishing could take pictures and videos of Dugong and get cash awards if they played proactive role in protecting the mammals by releasing it back into the sea.