PAWB study to determine real state of dugong population in PHL

For many years now, there has been increasing anecdotal evidence to suggest that the number of dugongs, or sea cows, in Philippine seas is diminishing, but neither biologists nor conservationists have any hard data to back up their conclusions. This is why the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) under the Environment Department has started a study to determine the real numbers of the large marine mammal, which is found in seagrass beds in a few areas across the country. “Ongoing pa ang research kaya hindi kami makapagbigay ng figure. May mga project na rin kami [regarding dugong conservation] pero walang funding,” said Angie Viloria, marine biologist at PAWB's Pawikan Conservation Program. Coastal areas in the provinces of Quezon, Aurora, Palawan, Antique, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur have been scoured to assess the dugong’s reported depletion, explained Viloria, adding that they will release the dugong study by next year. The Pawikan (sea turtle) Conservation Program does double duty, as it also studies sea cows. Dugong study Despite lack of scientific data, the non-governmental organization C3 Philippines does not doubt that dugong numbers are depleted, citing the International Union of Conservation for Nature’s identification of the species as vulnerable to extinction. Leo Cayaban, program coordinator at C3 Philippines, told GMA News Online that dugong depletion has been widely reported by fishers in the animal's known habitats. “We have interviewed fishermen. They said that sightings [of dugongs] have been less and less frequent. Mga 15 years ago raw, marami pang nakikita but recently, only about one or two are seen. In other places, they are not seen anymore,” he noted. Cayaban and his team are working with the local government of Busuanga in northern Palawan to promote awareness and conservation of the marine mammal. They have also instructed fishermen to report to local authorities any sightings of the critically endangered species.   C3 Philippines hopes that the dugong study would “come up with a map to show areas where there are dugong concentration or hot spots.”   Threats to dugongs   “Excessive sedimentation and pollution from economic activities and nutrient loading from agricultural runoff going into coastal waters will block sunlight and cause the plants [in sea meadows] to die,” the group said.   Apart from habitat destruction, PAWB said that accidental capture through net, dynamite or cyanide fishing also threatens the survival of the sea cow.   “’Yung fishing gear, napupulupot sa leeg kaya nalulunod din yung dugong. Mammal kasi sila kaya hindi rin nila kayang makatagal sa ilalim,” Viloria said. — DVM/YA, GMA News