Tanzania's Sea Cow Population Teeters On Brink Of Extinction

July 31, 2003
George Mwangi, Associated Press

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - "Tanzania's small population of sea cows is rapidly facing extinction due to entanglement and drowning in gill nets, a report says.

The sea cow, an aquatic mammal that lives in warm waters and is also known as the dugong, is closely related to the manatee.

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Released Tuesday, the report is based on testimony from local fishermen who say that since January 2000, only 32 dugong have been spotted. A majority of the animals seen by fishermen were already dead, after becoming trapped and entangled in fishing nets.

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Tanzania's dugong population is estimated at fewer than 100, a level so low that scientists doubt they can save the animal, the report said. In the 1960s, herds of 20 to 30 dugongs were frequently seen along the Tanzanian coast. Fishermen reported capturing up to five dugongs in any given day. But from the year 2000, only eight to 10 dugongs have been captured per year in Tanzania, the report says."

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http://www.enn.com/news/2003-07-31/s_7125.asp

tomorrow it'll be another species... isn't this a wonderful time to live in.