Authors: Andrianarivelo N., Cerchio S., Cooke A., Davis P. Z. R.
Pages: 20
Publisher: Princeton University Press.
The extreme northern region of Madagascar is notably one of the last areas where dugongs have continued to be observed in recent years by fishers, albeit infrequently, between the Sahamalaza Peninsula in the west and Vohémar in the east.
Davis, Patricia & Cerchio, Salvatore & Cooke, Andrew & Andrianarivelo, Norbert. (2021). Dugong dugon, Dugong, lambohara - The New Natural History of Madagascar Chapter 7 -Marine and Coastal Ecosystems.
Andrew Cooke, CEO of RESOLVE, co-authored this chapter, offering the most comprehensive account to date of dugong occurrence, distribution, and conservation status in Madagascar. This work draws on historical data since 1902, mid-20th century observations, extensive surveys of coastal communities since 2009, and a scientific field survey up to 2018. The chapter underscores the precarious state and genetic isolation of the Madagascar dugong population and proposes recommendations for enforcing protective legislation, studying industrial shrimp trawling impacts, raising awareness (especially in MPAs and LMMAs), expanding monitoring efforts, and highlighting the dugong’s cultural significance in Madagascar.
Photo: Flickker Photos (CC BY-SA)