A threatened marine species was caught off the coast of an Indonesian island for the first time, sparking calls for safeguarding its crucial habitat.
According to Mongabay, a dugong calf was spotted near the coast of the island of Alor, where conservationists have been monitoring marine wildlife since 2016. The new arrival was found along with two known adult dugongs, one male, one female. It's the first time a baby dugong has been recorded in the area.
A marine mammal researcher, Sekar Mira, explained the significance of the sighting: "I'm happy to hear about the dugong calf sighting because dugongs are species sensitive to environmental conditions, so the appearance of a calf can indicate two things: that the environment supports them living there — in terms of water parameters, the cleanliness of the waters, and the habitat's food carrying capacity."
The dugong is a large herbivore that feeds on seagrass. They closely resemble manatees but are slightly smaller, and their tails have different shapes. The dugong's tail is fluked like a dolphin's, while the manatee's resembles a paddle like a beaver's. They are found in warm tropical waters from East Africa to Australia.
As the International Fund for Animal Welfare points out, these serene creatures have an important role in the ocean's ecosystem. They keep seagrass beds healthy through grazing and their nutrient-dense waste.
Seagrass is one of the most effective carbon sequesters in nature; it buries carbon 35 times faster than rainforests. The loss and contamination of seagrass is one of the dugong's primary threats; the other is excessive hunting. Unfortunately, the creature's languid swimming makes it an easy target for hunters, and its meat is considered a delicacy. Though under protection, poaching is lucrative and difficult to stop.
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To build on this rare treat, experts in Indonesia are calling for further research and the involvement of local communities in future conservation plans. As other successes have shown, in Indonesia no less, locals play a pivotal role in protecting nature.
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