Dugong Projects
Long-Term Conservation in Action
The Hard Data
Status & Threats
Sri Lanka’s dugongs (Dugong dugon) represent one of the last remaining isolated populations in the Indian Ocean. Current estimates suggest fewer than 200 individuals, but no full population survey has been completed.
Sri Lanka holds a small, resident, isolated dugong population in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay; sightings are rare and population size is unknown, making bycatch and habitat loss especially risky.
Gillnet bycatch and seagrass degradation are leading threats across the region; global reviews flag gillnets as a major mortality driver for marine mammals. In Sri Lanka, key seagrass habitats are concentrated in the Gulf of Mannar/Palk Bay.
Seagrass meadows have shown historic global declines (~1.5%/year in earlier decades), though recovery is possible with protection and restoration.
Mangroves are exceptionally carbon‑dense ecosystems (mean ≈ 1,023 Mg C/ha, with soils holding most of the stock), providing coastal protection and nursery habitat that benefit fisheries and dugong food webs.
From Mapping to Restoration
Our Program Priorities
Baseline Habitat Mapping: participatory mapping with fishers, ranger patrols and researchers to locate seagrass beds/dugong use areas.
Bycatch mitigation pilots: co‑design and test measures with fishing communities (seasonal/area management in seagrass zones, net modifications/effort shifts where appropriate), paired with community bycatch reporting and rapid response.
Restoration Trials: small scale seagrass transplant in suitable sites and mangrove rehabilitation for blue‑carbon, nursery habitat, and shoreline protection co‑benefits.
Awareness & livelihoods: outreach in Mannar/Palk Bay and micro‑grants for low‑impact gear or alternative income tied to conservation compliance (leveraging lessons from prior regional dugong projects).
- Policy alignment: collaboration with the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) to feed findings into Sri Lanka’s National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan.
Evidence Based Strategy
Year 1 & 2 Targets
- Produce first open-source dugong sighting map for Sri Lanka.
Community‑validated map of priority seagrass meadows
3 pilot fishing‑ground agreements in or adjacent to seagrass zones; ≥50 fishers participating in bycatch reporting.
- Establish 2 mangrove nurseries and 1 pilot seagrass restoration site.
10–20 ha of seagrass and mangrove sites selected for restoration/enhancement with monitoring baselines established.
- Public quarterly updates on encounters, bycatch reports, and habitat status.
Submit seagrass and dugong data to IUCN’s global dugong database.
- Produce first open-source dugong sighting map for Sri Lanka.