Erin Doherty
The dugong, a gentle sea animal that lived in China’s southern waters for hundreds of years, is now functionally extinct in China, per research by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Driving the news: There have been no records of evidence of dugongs presence in China since 2008, making it likely “that this is the first functional extinction of a large mammal in China’s coastal waters,” per ZSL.
The big picture: The dugong, also known as the ‘sea cow,’ has been classified as a Grade 1 National Key Protected Animal since 1988 by the Chinese State Council, placing them under the highest protection offered in the country.
What they’re saying: “Sadly, our new study shows strong evidence of the regional loss of another charismatic aquatic mammal species in China – sadly, once again driven by unsustainable human activity,” Samuel Turvey at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology and co-author of the study said.
Between the lines: Researchers surveyed 66 fishing communities across four Chinese provinces along the coastal region of the South China Sea (Hainan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian) to gather local knowledge about dugong sightings.
Courtesy: (Axios)
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