EAD gets continued support in dugong conservation

“Abu Dhabi: Nature Preserved”, a book written by Claude Rives and published by National Geographic, was released in the function.

“Since 1999, thanks to the support of Total, the EAD has conducted detailed studies of the local dugong population. Overall, these studies have helped us to better understand dugong behaviour,” said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General of the EAD.

“The first phase of these studies helped us obtain information about the abundance, distribution and the conservation status of dugongs in the UAE.”

About 40 per cent of the world dugong population occurs in Abu Dhabi waters. High density populations have especially been noted around the far western islands of Abu Dhabi, between Bu Tinah, Delma and Sir Bani Yas.

“The second phase helped us understand more about the biological and ecological aspects. Threats to the dugong population were identified by investigating causes of dugong mortality as well as habitat degradation, fragmentation and loss,” added Al Mubarak.

The dugong, commonly known as the sea cow, is a sea grass-dependant marine mammal of tropical and subtropical coastal waters, with high genetic biodiversity value.

“Throughout their marine habitat, which includes at least 48 countries from east Africa to Vanuatu, about 26 degrees north and south of the Equator, dugongs are under pressure from a variety of human activities,” pointed out Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Director of Marine Biodiversity Management at the EAD.

Currently dugongs are classified as vulnerable to extinction under the 2009 World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, which indicates that they face a high-risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future.

silvia@khaleejtimes.com