Preserving S. China's endangered dugongs
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E-mail Xinhua, September 17, 2013
Massive killing led to a drastic decrease in the dugong population, and the 'mermaids' were barely seen after the killings. Human damage to the local marine ecosystem only exacerbated the situation, Huang said.
What saddens the local fishermen the most is that the younger generation has not seen the dugongs in the wild. All they can see are just the specimens in exhibition rooms or pictures in books or on television.
To keep the sea cows from extinction, the Chinese government has employed various measures.
In 1988, dugongs were listed under the first-class animal protection category. This was followed by the establishment of the Hepu Dugong National Nature Reserve (HDNNR) in 1992. The reserve, which covers an area of 350 square kilometers, is the only sanctuary of its kind in the country for the animal.
In 2008, a protection project to help save the species from extinction was initiated in Guangxi. The project cost around 26 million yuan (4.23 million U.S. dollars), 76 percent of which came from the central budget and the rest from the regional and local governments.
The project, which has already been completed, includes a scientific research center, a sea animal rescue center, watchtowers and patrol boats, among others.
The local government in Beihai has also tightened supervision and enhanced efforts to clear out illegal sea farms in the HDNNR area.
In recent years, there have been increased sightings by fishermen of the docile animal, thanks to decades of preservation efforts, said Zhou Xiang, a working staff with the HDNNR.
"The local fishermen are aware of the importance of dugong protection, and they would report to us if they spotted any trace of the dugong," Zhou said.
He said the government should step up protection measures to prevent the animals from going extinct so that the beautiful creatures could return in large numbers.
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