Dugong dugon | UAE National Red List of Mammals: Marine and Terrestrial
Taxa
Dugong dugon | (Müller, 1776)
Asessment status in full
Near threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
C2a(ii)
Assessment rationale/justification
Since the first surveys in the region were started in 1986 (Saudi Wildlife Authority) to 2018, the population has largely been stable. The population size is about 3,000 mature individuals and all the animals are in a single subpopulation, however, there is no current evidence of decline. The species is therefore assessed as Near Threatened as it almost qualifies for a threatened listing under criterion C2a(ii). There is some movement of individuals in and out of the area, but there would not be a significant rescue effect (satellite tagging shows movements of > 30 km).
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication
https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/b352eff1/UNRL%20of%20Mammals%20-%20Report%202019.pdf.aspx?view=true
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Threats listed in assessment
Dugongs used to be harvested and sold as meat in fish markets up until 1970. Incidental mortality in illegal fishing nets and abandoned fishing gear has been the biggest recent threat. Other threats include vessel strikes, degradation of seagrass beds due to coastal development, and water pollution. Since monitoring began in 2001, 175 cases of Dugong mortality have been investigated by EAD. Mortality incidence is frequently reported during the winter months from November to March which coincides with higher seagrass biomass, large congregations of Dugongs and intense fishing activities. The main cause of mortality in the last 16 years has found to be drowning in abandoned, lost and/or illegal fishing nets (69.7%) followed by vessel strikes (13.7%). However, in 2010-2015, the cause of death due to drowning increased to 85%, indicating that Dugong mortality in the UAE is a human/wildlife conflict due to irresponsible fishing practices, use of illegal nets and the inadequate implementation of regulations (EAD 2015). A total of 22 incidences of Dugong mortality were reported and investigated by EAD during 2015. Three mortalities were reported from the Eastern Region, six from the Central Region and the remaining 13 from the Western Region. Eleven (50%) were due to drowning in nets but the cause of death could not be ascertained for the remainder. No mortalities resulting from vessel strikes were observed in 2015 (EAD 2015). Boat strikes have decreased inside protected areas due to the implementation of controls. However, adult Dugongs normally avoid noise, so strikes are mainly an issue for the more curious subadults.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:
History
The species was assessed as Endangered for the UAE (Hornby 1996) and it seems reasonable to use this as the backcasted 1996 assessment. The establishment of marine protected areas to cover key Dugong sites, regulations on boat access, controls on driftnet fishing, implementation of other fishing regulations, and education programmes have reduced threats (incidence of boat strikes, oil spills, and entanglement) and improved the conservation status of this species.
Scientific Name | Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dugong dugon | Animalia | Chordata | Mammalia | Sirenia | Dugongidae | Dugong |