Dugong trapped in fishing net rescued, released into sea

CHENNAI:

Wildlife

Institute of India researchers and fishermen on Wednesday pulled a

dugong

out of the net it was stuck in and released it in the sea off Keezhathottam in Thanjavur.


WII researcher Madhu Magesh, who supervised the operation, said the female, about 10 ft long and weighing half a tonne, got caught in the net around 2am. He along with a couple of other researchers — who were camping at Thondi in Ramanathapuram district — went to Keezhathottam and freed the dugong with the help of fishermen.

Magesh said the Union ministry of forests, environment and

climate change

had provided Rs 2 crore to conserve dugongs. WII researchers were working in the Andamans and Gulf of Kutch to conserve these mammals. Around 150 dugongs were found in the

Gulf of Mannar

and Palk Bay areas.

As part of the conservation efforts, Magesh’s team had conducted awareness programmes among traditional fishermen. Following this, fishermen had formed a voluntary network known as ‘Friends of Dugong’. “Fishermen in this area do not resort to poaching the

mammal

. Joint efforts by fishermen and researchers have led to rescues of stranded dugongs on three occasions,” Magesh said.

Entry of trawlers near the dugong habitat, however, continued and was posing a major threat, Magesh said, saying two mammals had been killed recently after they were hit by propellers of trawlers.