Guardians of the Sea: The Creation of India's First Dugong Conservation Reserve

A Sanctuary for the Sea Cow: The Making of India's First Dugong Conservation Reserve

In the turquoise, sun-drenched waters of Palk Bay, nestled between the southeastern coast of India and the island nation of Sri Lanka, a quiet revolution is taking place. Here, amidst the gentle sway of vast underwater seagrass meadows, lives a shy, enigmatic marine mammal: the dugong. Known affectionately as the "sea cow" for its serene, herbivorous nature, and locally in Tamil as Kadal Pasu, this gentle giant has for decades faced a perilous existence, its numbers dwindling to a whisper of its former population. But a monumental effort, born from the convergence of scientific rigour, government will, and a profound shift in community consciousness, has culminated in a beacon of hope: the creation of India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve.

This is the story of how a region once known for hunting this vulnerable creature transformed into its most dedicated guardian. It is a narrative of restoring not just a habitat, but a relationship between humans and the sea, weaving together the threads of ecological science, traditional knowledge, and innovative governance to secure a future for one of the ocean's most unique inhabitants.

The Gentle Gardener of the Sea: An Ecological Marvel Under Threat

The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a remarkable creature, the only strictly marine herbivorous mammal in the world. More closely related to an elephant than a whale or dolphin, it possesses a plump, streamlined body, paddle-like flippers, and a distinctive fluked tail reminiscent of a cetacean. These gentle giants can grow up to three metres long, weigh as much as 400 kilograms, and live for over 70 years. Their existence is inextricably linked to the health of coastal ecosystems, specifically the seagrass meadows that they depend on for food. A single dugong can consume up to 40 kilograms of seagrass a day, earning it the moniker "farmer of the sea." This grazing is not destructive; rather, it is a vital ecological service. By feeding on seagrass, dugongs help maintain the health and productivity of these underwater meadows, stimulating new growth and ensuring the ecosystem remains robust.

These seagrass beds are not just cafeterias for dugongs. They are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, acting as critical breeding and nursery grounds for a vast array of commercially valuable fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. They stabilize the seafloor, protect coastlines from storm surges, and are incredibly efficient "blue carbon" sinks. A 2022 study by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management documented over 516 square kilometers of seagrass habitat in India, with the potential to sequester nearly 435 tonnes of carbon dioxide per square kilometer annually—a capacity that can exceed that of a pristine Amazonian rainforest by tenfold. The health of the dugong population, therefore, is a direct indicator of the health of this entire coastal marine ecosystem.

Once abundant in the warm, shallow coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific, dugong populations have seen a catastrophic decline across their range. In India, they were once widespread in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, the Gulf of Kutch, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, by the early 21st century, their numbers had plummeted to an estimated 200-250 individuals in the entire country, with the population in Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar considered the last viable one.

The threats were, and remain, multifaceted. The most immediate and brutal was historical hunting. In the Palk Bay region, dugong meat was considered a delicacy, and marine biologist Balaji Vedharajan of the OMCAR Foundation recalls how fishermen used to tie up the massive animals near the coast to be slaughtered for wedding feasts and local festivals. Records show that between 1983 and 1984 alone, about 250 dugongs were poached and butchered in just two villages, Keelakarai and Periapattinam.

Beyond direct hunting, the intensification of fishing activities brought new dangers. Dugongs, being air-breathing mammals, must surface every 3 to 12 minutes. Accidental entanglement in fishing gear, particularly gillnets and bottom trawl nets, became a major cause of mortality as the animals would drown before they could be freed. The increasing traffic of mechanized boats in their shallow habitats also led to fatal collisions.

Compounding these direct threats is the degradation of their only food source. Coastal development, the construction of ports, dredging, and pollution from agricultural runoff and sewage degrade and destroy the fragile seagrass meadows. Climate change adds another layer of pressure, with rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events like cyclones further damaging these vital habitats. With a slow reproductive rate—a female gives birth to a single calf after a long gestation of 13-15 months, with a calving interval of 3 to 7 years—the dugong population has little capacity to recover from these mounting pressures. By the early 2000s, the situation was so dire that some scientists, like Dr. K. Sivakumar of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), feared the species might have already gone locally extinct.

The Turning of the Tide: A Decade of Groundwork

The journey towards the creation of the Dugong Conservation Reserve was not an overnight decision but the culmination of over a decade of relentless groundwork by a coalition of dedicated individuals and organizations. The alarm bells had been ringing for years, but a concerted effort began to take shape in the late 2000s.

A significant step was taken in 2008, when India became a signatory to the Convention on Migratory Species' (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on Dugong Conservation. This international agreement spurred the national government to act, leading to the formation of a Task Force for the Conservation of Dugongs. This task force was mandated to investigate the threats and devise a national action plan. In 2015, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous institution of the Environment Ministry, began implementing a national dugong recovery program with a fund of Rs 23.58 crore allocated for five years.

On the ground in Palk Bay, the epicenter of India's remaining dugong population, crucial work was being done by grassroots organizations. Foremost among them was the OMCAR (Organisation for Marine Conservation, Awareness, and Research) Foundation, founded in 2007 by marine biologist Dr. Balaji Vedharajan. Driven by a passion to bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and the reality of coastal life, Dr. Vedharajan had undertaken solo expeditions by motorbike and sea kayak along the Tamil Nadu coast, interacting with hundreds of fishing communities. "The journey changed my life," he recalled, "I wanted to spread awareness about mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems that protect the coastline and marine life."

OMCAR began the painstaking work of documenting dugong strandings, mapping seagrass beds using acoustic technology, and, most importantly, engaging with the local fishing communities. For over a decade, OMCAR systematically recorded dugong deaths and strandings, using this data to create awareness materials and write articles in local newspapers, making the invisible crisis visible to both the public and policymakers. Their scientific publications on seagrass distribution and dugong mortality became crucial evidence supporting the need for a protected area.

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) brought its scientific expertise to the forefront, conducting baseline studies, population assessments, and habitat analyses. Scientists like Dr. J.A. Johnson and Dr. K. Sivakumar led research that identified critical habitats and dugong corridors. Their work confirmed that Palk Bay, a shallow and semi-enclosed water body, was the most important remaining habitat in India, supporting an estimated 150 of the country's 250 dugongs at the time.

The third, and perhaps most critical, piece of the puzzle was the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Under the leadership of officials like Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Supriya Sahu, the department demonstrated strong political will and bureaucratic commitment. Sahu recognized that the conservation of dugongs was intrinsically linked to the well-being of the entire marine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. "Focussed conservation of dugongs will help protect and improve seagrass beds and sequestering more atmospheric carbon," she stated, emphasizing the direct benefits to fisher families through healthier fish breeding grounds.

This powerful triumvirate of a grassroots NGO building community trust, a national scientific institution providing robust data, and a proactive state government created a fertile ground for change. The strategy was clear: this could not be a top-down conservation model that alienated local communities. It had to be a participatory effort that transformed the very people who once posed a threat into the primary guardians of the sea cow.

From Hunters to Guardians: The Power of Community Conservation

The greatest challenge—and the greatest triumph—of the Palk Bay initiative was the transformation of the local fishing communities. For generations, the dugong was a resource. Turning it into a symbol of pride and conservation required more than just laws; it required empathy, trust, and tangible benefits.

The conservation partners initiated extensive consultations with coastal communities, especially fishermen. One of the most effective strategies was the formation of "Friends of the Dugong" (Dugong Mitra) groups in fishing villages across the Palk Bay coast. Established as a joint effort by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, WII, and OMCAR, these volunteer networks became the first line of defense. Volunteers were trained to respond to dugong strandings and entanglements, learning how to safely rescue and release the animals and coordinate with the Forest Department. WII further facilitated communication by creating a WhatsApp network of over 1,000 fishermen who could instantly report sightings and emergencies.

The change in mindset was palpable. Naguran, a fisherman from Keezhatottam with 40 years of experience, recounted the shift: "Around 15 years ago, our area was filled with lush sea grass and we could find fishes breeding around it. But now, increasing storms have totally destroyed the seagrass and along with it, we have lost our fish. When we understood that dugong was important to protect what was left of the seagrass, as a community, we decided to release any dugongs that get caught in our nets."

This newfound willingness was bolstered by a crucial incentive program. The government began compensating fishermen for nets that had to be cut to free entangled dugongs and offered an honorarium for successful rescues. This incentive was later raised from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 per rescue, a significant amount that acknowledged the fishermen's contribution and financial loss. Between 2021 and 2025, this program led to the successful rescue of 16 dugongs, with the fishermen involved being publicly felicitated and rewarded.

The stories are powerful testaments to the program's success. In May 2023, fishermen N. Mahalingam, M. Ashok Kumar, S. Surendran, and C. Subramaniyan spent an hour in the water at Manora, carefully maneuvering a 150 kg dugong out of a trap net to safety. In August 2024, another dugong was rescued near Nambuthalai by a team including fishermen Muruganandham, Poomani, and Karan, marking the third rescue in just two months. IFS officer Jagdish S. Bakan, tweeting about the rescue, offered a simple but profound acknowledgment: "Thank you fisher communities." Supriya Sahu shared a video of another rescue, noting, "When local community becomes the guardian and stewards of nature, wildlife conservation stands a great chance of success."

Beyond rescues, the community became actively involved in habitat restoration. Dr. Vedharajan explained, "When we got a project to artificially restore seagrass in Palk Bay, we trained the local women to grow the seagrass plugs in a frame and got the fishermen to dive and put the plugs in select sites. It was important to get the locals involved as they took ownership."

To address the economic pressures that drive destructive practices, the project also incorporated alternative livelihood support. OMCAR Foundation, for example, provided livestock like goats to women in fishing communities as a form of "conservation compensation," creating supplementary income streams and reducing the pressure of overfishing.

The Birth of a Reserve: A Landmark Notification

With the scientific evidence gathered, community support secured, and a multi-stakeholder partnership solidified, the stage was set. In September 2021, the Tamil Nadu government officially announced its intent to establish the reserve. Following this, a detailed project report and baseline studies were prepared, and the proposal was sent to the Union Environment Ministry for approval.

On September 21, 2022, a historic gazette notification was issued by the Tamil Nadu government, officially declaring 448.34 square kilometers of the coastal waters in northern Palk Bay, spanning the coasts of Thanjavur and Pudukkottai districts, as India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve. The notification was made under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, which designates a "Conservation Reserve" as an area managed for protecting landscapes and seascapes with community participation.

The reserve encompasses a core area with over 12,250 hectares of rich seagrass meadows, the primary feeding grounds for the dugongs. The management plan, developed collaboratively by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), WII, local communities, and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, is built on a foundation of sustainable practices. Regulations were strengthened, banning destructive gear like purse seine and shore seine nets in 2020 and restricting bottom trawlers to operate at least five nautical miles from the shore. Speed limits for mechanized boats and a system of daily passes are also part of the enforcement measures.

Crucially, Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas Ramachandra Reddy clarified that the reserve would not hamper the livelihoods of traditional fishermen, a key concern addressed during the extensive consultations. The reserve was designed not as a fortress to keep people out, but as a co-managed space where conservation and sustainable livelihoods could coexist.

Mending the Meadows: The Science of Seagrass Restoration

A cornerstone of the conservation effort is the active restoration of the degraded seagrass meadows. The work is laborious and requires a unique blend of scientific innovation and local knowledge. Early restoration efforts in the Gulf of Mannar had used PVC frames to transplant seagrass sprigs, but a comparative study by OMCAR found that eco-friendly and locally sourced materials were not only cheaper but more effective.

The study compared PVC frames, bamboo frames, and nets made from coconut coir. It found that coir nets were the best method, being low-cost, lightweight, easily fabricated by local communities, and allowing for more macrofaunal settlement. Following these findings, restoration efforts within the reserve have focused on these sustainable methods. In Pudukkottai district, restoration covering 1,000 square meters was undertaken by transplanting healthy sprigs of seagrass species like Cymodocea serrulata, Syringodium isoetifolium, and Halodule pinifolia onto biodegradable bamboo frames and coir ropes.

Technology plays a crucial role in guiding these efforts. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department, in partnership with WII, has employed drone-enabled acoustic mapping to identify degraded patches of seagrass suitable for restoration. A 2024 study using this integrated acoustic and ground-truthing approach mapped 500 hectares within the reserve, finding that 46% was covered by seagrass and seaweed, while 54% was open seafloor, highlighting clear targets for future restoration work.

A Global Model: International Recognition and the Path Forward

The success of the Palk Bay initiative has not gone unnoticed. In a landmark moment for Indian marine conservation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at its World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in 2025 formally adopted a motion recognizing India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve. The motion, proposed by the Omcar Foundation, received overwhelming global support, with 98% of governments and 94.8% of NGOs and research institutions voting in favor.

The IUCN praised the initiative as "a critical step towards marine biodiversity conservation in South Asia and an exemplary model for dugong conservation globally." The resolution specifically highlighted the innovative, community-led approach and the eco-friendly restoration techniques. This international endorsement provides significant validation and is expected to attract new resources, funding, and technical expertise to the region. It calls on IUCN members to collaborate with Indian authorities to strengthen monitoring, build capacity for sustainable fisheries, and share the lessons learned from Palk Bay with other nations where dugongs are at risk.

The recognition is an icing on the cake, as recent scientific surveys confirm the positive impact of these concerted efforts. A WII drone survey in 2023-24 estimated that the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar region is now home to more than 200 healthy, adult dugongs. This represents a fragile but remarkable recovery from the brink of extinction just two decades ago and shows that the population is stabilizing.

The future of dugong conservation is now being institutionalized. The Tamil Nadu government has announced plans to establish an International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora in Thanjavur, which will serve as a hub for research, tourism, and training a new generation of marine conservationists. Furthermore, the newly launched Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission (TN-SHORE), a massive ₹1,675-crore project supported by the World Bank, aims to restore 30,000 hectares of seascapes, with a significant focus on safeguarding endangered species like dugongs. This mission will establish a "Tamil Nadu Blue Carbon Agency" to create a framework for trading carbon credits, potentially unlocking innovative financing mechanisms for the reserve. Studies have already estimated the value of blue carbon stored in Palk Bay's seagrass meadows to be over 4.3 million US dollars, offering a tantalizing glimpse into a future where conservation pays for itself.

However, significant challenges remain. The transboundary nature of the dugong population is a major concern. Dugongs are semi-migratory and are known to travel across the Palk Strait to the waters of Sri Lanka, where poaching is reportedly still rampant and conservation awareness is low. Experts like Dr. Vedharajan and Dr. Sivakumar have stressed that long-term success will require strong bilateral cooperation between India and Sri Lanka to ensure shared protection across the dugongs' entire range. Other persistent threats within the reserve include pollution from coastal industries and agriculture, the risk of bycatch from mechanized fishing, and the unpredictable impacts of climate change.

The story of the Palk Bay Dugong Conservation Reserve is ultimately a story of hope. It demonstrates that the tide can be turned for a species on the verge of disappearing. It is a powerful illustration that when governments provide leadership, scientists provide knowledge, and local communities are empowered as partners, even the most daunting conservation challenges can be met. The gentle farmers of the sea now have guardians on land and at sea, a dedicated community that has reclaimed its role as stewards of this ecological paradise, ensuring that the serene presence of the Kadal Pasu will grace these waters for generations to come.