Carcass of Dugong found washed ashore in Tamil Nadu’s Azhagankulam

Madurai: A carcass of a male Dugong was found washed ashore at Anandapuram seashore near Azhagankulam in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. On being alerted by local people, a team of Forest Range office from Ramanathapuram arrived at the shore. Under the supervision of TK Ashok Kumar, Wildlife Warden, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, the team inspected the carcass and made necessary arrangements for burying it on the seashore after post-mortem. 

Ashok Kumar said, “The marine mammal weighed about 5300 kg. It measured 3.15 meter in length, 1 meter in width and 2 meter in circumference. It had injuries on the mouth, and it could have died after hitting against a boat or propeller,” he added. 

Another forest range officer S Sathish said that the mammal could have died on Monday. Dugong habitat is in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay and its population in the region had been estimated to be 70 to 140, he said. 

The Gulf of Mannar of Marine National Park of the Forest department launched ‘Save Dugong’ project with a special focus on protecting the mammals in the Palk Bay. The department has also launched capacity building training programme after recruiting ‘Friends of Dugong’ from the fisherfolk.