Dugongs are a marine mammal which live in warm coastal waters in the Indian Ocean and southern Pacific Ocean. They are slow-moving, long-lived, and at risk of extinction.
A major risk to dugongs is human-caused habitat degradation. The seagrass meadows that they depend on are affected by development and the resulting pollution from it.
Seagrass meadows are an excellent carbon sink and their continued existence can help slow climate change. They also serve as the basis for a marine ecosystem that supports local fisheries. Helping one link in the chain can preserve it all.
This video explains a localized effect on the dugongs and the seagrass meadows in Abu Dhabi.
Dugong photo via Shutterstock
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