DUGONG CONSERVATION RESERVE

DUGONG CONSERVATION RESERVE

TOPIC: Environment

Context- The Tamil Nadu government had announced that a dugong conservation reserve would be established in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay between India and Sri Lanka, for the conservation of the animals.

• Declaring an area as ‘protected’ means there will be no human interference in there.

Concept-

• The dugong (Dugong dugon), also called the sea cow, is a herbivorous mammal grazing on seagrass.
• Dugongs are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which means they have the highest level of legal protection under Indian law.

Conservation Reserves in India:

• It is an area owned by the state government adjacent to the national parks and sanctuaries for protecting the landscape, seascape, and habitat of fauna and flora. It is managed through a conservation reserve management committee.
• These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• The state government may, after having consultations with the local communities, declare any area owned by the government as a conservation reserve.
• Tiruppadaimarathur conservation reserve in tirunelveli, tamilnadu is the first conservation reserve established in the country.

*** For Further Information Please Refer to DPN 15 January 2022.