Dugong dugon

Published on 21 March was a review of the literature and overview of the contemporary use of aquatic megafauna (cetaceans, sirenians, chelonians, and crocodylians) in the global tropics and subtropics, for 37 species listed on the Appendices of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

22 Mar 2022

The Kingdom of Bahrain has acceded to the Convention bringing the number of Parties to 133.  It joins the ever-growing number of contracting Parties from Asia. The Kingdom of Bahrain, whose capital is Manana, is an island country located in the Persian Gulf that comprises an archipelago of natural islands and artificial islands with a total land area of 728 km2 and approximately 3000 km2 of territorial waters. 

01 Mar 2022

Migratory species are likely to be among the most vulnerable to plastic pollution according to a new study released today by the Secretariat of the UN's Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The study focused for the first time on the impacts that plastic pollution has on animals that live on land and in freshwater environments, in the Asia-Pacific region. The study included case studies on the Ganges and Mekong river basins, which together contribute an estimated 200,000 tons of plastic pollution to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean every year.

30 Aug 2021

The Dugong and Seagrass Toolkit has been selected as one of the 25 most noteworthy innovations in the Government sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation. The selection was determined after a rigorous screening and assessment process where several contenders showcased their projects over a period of one year.

08 Jun 2021

In recognition of World Seagrass Day 2021, we are thrilled to announce the official launch of the Dugong & Seagrass Hub. The Hub is a communal platform for dugong and seagrass conservationists to collate and share information, resources, best practice and lessons learned working to conserve seagrass ecosystems in dugong range states.

01 Mar 2021

Dr Donna Kwan from the Dugong MOU Secretariat attended the closing workshop of the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project (DSCP) in Bali, Indonesia from 26 to 28 February 2019. The workshop was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The four-year project, Enhancing the Conservation Effectiveness of Seagrass Ecosystems Supporting Globally Significant Populations of Dugongs across the Indian and Pacific Ocean Basins, commenced in 2015 and covered 43 national projects across Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.

05 Mar 2019

Timor-Leste has confirmed its support towards the protection of dugongs and their vital seagrass habitats by becoming the 27th Signatory to the CMS Dugong MOU. The Secretary of State for the Environment, H.E. Demétrio do Amaral de Carvalho signed the MOU earlier today at a signing ceremony in Dili, Timor-Leste.

10 Sep 2018

Dr Donna Kwan from the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat attended the Dugong and Seagrass Workshop, held from 5-8 March 2018 in Munda, Solomon Islands. The Workshop, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project brought together delegates from four of the five Pacific island dugong range states.

08 Mar 2018

Dr Donna Kwan from the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat attended the International Mermaid Symposium in Toba, Japan on 22-23 February 2018. The Symposium was hosted by Toba Aquarium, Mie University and Kyoto University and focused on the theme of ‘Dugongs: Global Status and Future’.

23 Feb 2018

Trang, Thailand, 10 February 2018 –  Anantara Si Kao Resort has officially opened the Dugong Education and Conservation Centre (DECC) in Trang, Thailan

22 Feb 2018

The CMS Memorandum of Understanding on Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout Their Range (Dugong MOU) just celebrated its ten year anniversary. The MOU came into effect on 31 October 2007 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which in 2009 became the home of the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat.

28 Nov 2017

The 22nd Biennial Conference of the Biology of Marine Mammals was held in Halifax, Canada from 22 -27 October 2017. The event, hosted by the Society for Marine Mammalogy, was followed by the Eighth International Sirenian Symposium on 28 October.

30 Oct 2017

Abu Dhabi, 16 March 2017 – Twenty-three countries agreed to enhance efforts to help local communities to better protect dugongs, also known as sea cows, and their seagrass habitats. The endangered species, which is primarily threatened by entanglement in fishing gear, collision with boats and habitat loss, occurs across the East coast of Africa, South-East Asia, Pacific Islands and Australia. Government officials, and the world’s leading dugong and seagrass experts, met this week in Abu Dhabi to discuss solutions to stop the rapid decline of dugongs and the seagrass meadows where they live.

16 Mar 2017

Abu Dhabi, 13 March 2017 – Delegates from twenty-three countries, along with the world’s leading dugong and seagrass experts, gather today under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) for the opening of the Third Meeting of Signatories (MOS3) to Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats (Dugong MOU).

13 Mar 2017

Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudiis, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Dr. Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of CMS, collaborated on an Op-Ed highlighting the need for seagrass conservation and its impact on marine life around the globe.

13 Mar 2017

Today the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Project unveiled its new, interactive and informative website that includes information about the project, resources for dugong and seagrass conservation, as well as information for project partners. The website was launched at an event hosted by Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, where the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (the MBZ Fund) publicly announced the GEF grant for the project.

21 May 2016

Experts in dugong, seagrasses and community-based management met in Bangkok on 15-17 February 2016 to provide guidance and advice on current efforts and future directions for a number of major projects included in the work plan of the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat.

18 Feb 2016

Bangkok, 16 February 2016- The UNEP/CMS Secretariat is participating in the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2016 taking place from 15 to 19 February 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand.

15 Feb 2016

“MObI – Marine Mammal Observers of Oceania by Internet” is a new smartphone application now available to help users distinguish marine mammals at any time in New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

24 Jul 2014

The Pacific may be about to benefit from new funding from the Global Environment Facility.

24 Jul 2014

Louisa Ponnampalam, one of the Technical Advisors to the CMS Dugong MoU, has been awarded a 2014 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation to conduct new research on the country’s population of dugongs.

12 Mar 2014

Hoyt Peckham, one of the Technical Advisors to the CMS Dugong MoU, has been awarded a 2014 Pew fellowship in marine conservation to expand on his work on incentivizing sustainable fishing along the coast of Northwest Mexico to other communities in the region and around the world.

12 Mar 2014

A programme to improve livelihoods and create economic opportunity in exchange for the conservation of dugongs and their seagrass habitat was officially launched in Abu Dhabi today.

27 Feb 2012

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has published a booklet “Dugongs – respect and protect: dugong profile for range states in the Pacific Islands”. It gives an overview of the six dugong range states (Australia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu) in the Pacific region and the measures they have in place to conserve and protect the dugongs.

16 Feb 2012

No pictures for Dugong dugon

Common names
EnglishDugong, Sea Cow
FrenchDugong
SpanishDugongo
GermanDugong, pazifische seekuh
Taxonomy
ClassMammalia
OrderSirenia
FamilyDugongidae
Scientific name Dugong dugon

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