India’s First Dugong Conservation Reserve:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) officially recognized India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve, located in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu, during the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress. This recognition marks a crucial step in safeguarding one of India’s most endangered marine mammals the dugong. Established in September 2022 by the Tamil Nadu government under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Dugong Conservation Reserve spans an area of 448.34 sq. km. in the northern Palk Bay. The region hosts over 12,250 hectares of seagrass meadows, which are essential feeding grounds for dugongs, also known as “sea cows.” These meadows also act as carbon sinks and breeding zones for many marine species, enhancing coastal biodiversity and fish production.
