For centuries, they have inspired myths and folklore among seafarers. They were the original inspiration for the myth of the ‘mermaid’ found in almost every culture across the globe. But in reality, sea cows are nothing like the curvaceous ‘maids of the sea’. Instead, they are slow and lumbering marine mammals feeding almost exclusively on sea grass.

Today, four species of sea cows exist in the world: three are manatees and one is the dugong. The Indian subcontinent is home to the dugong, which gets its name from the Tagalog/Malay word ‘duyung’ which means ‘lady of the sea’.

“Historically, we had dugong populations in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, Malwan in Maharashtra, Netrani in Karnataka, Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” says B C Choudhary, scientific advisor to the Wildlife Trust of India.

But that is no longer the case. “The range of the dugong in Indian waters has shrunk to three locations: the Gulf of Kutch, the Gulf of Mannar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” says K Sivakumar, research scientist and dugong expert at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. “With a population of 100, the Gulf of Mannar has the highest number. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands follow with 50-60 individuals, while the Gulf of Kutch, where a live dugong has not been seen in the last 7-8 years, might have as few as 10 individuals,” he adds. Sivakumar’s recent report for WII — ‘Dugong distribution, habitat and risks due to fisheries and other anthropogenic activities in India’ — points out how the dugong faces a great deal of persecution from humans in Indian waters.

“The Convention on Migratory Species (an intergovernmental treaty) had come out with a memorandum of understanding to conserve the dugong. All dugong-range countries, including India, had to sign the MoU. WII in India promised to conduct a survey of the species and understand its distribution through interviews with fishermen,” says Sivakumar. His report is a summary of that effort.

Choudhary, who contributed to the study, lists out the threats. “Dugongs,” he says, “are hunted for the meat, especially in Tamil Nadu, where its meat is consumed by the fishermen communities. Propeller-driven vehicles are also a big threat. Pollutants released by coastal industries can also damage sea grass beds and the dugong’s reproductive system.” Gillnets used by fishermen are the worst killers, adds Sivakumar.

Of the three populations in Indian waters, Sivakumar feels those found in the Gulf of Mannar have the best chance of surviving and breeding. “That is because this area has the best sea grass meadows. In the Andaman and Nicobar area, the sea grass is very patchy and cannot support a big population. If even some individuals there are killed, the entire population could be wiped out. And in the Gulf of Kutch, there is a huge problem of industrial pollution,” he explains.

The experts feel that getting the fishermen on the side of the dugongs is the only way to protect the mammal. “An initiative should be taken, especially in Tamil Nadu where dugongs are hunted, to get youth from the fishing community to watch over the dugong population. It would be a classic case of predators becoming protectors,” says Sivakumar. Choudhary adds that marine studies should also be made a priority and the navy and coast guard should be involved in researching marine wildlife.

In the last few years, the government has turned its attention to the dugong. In 2006, the dugong was included in the ‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the environment and forests ministry. “The forest departments in Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar are already being provided support,” says Sivakumar. Perhaps more needs to be done.