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Scars of hope and forewarn of a bleak future: post-mortem findings of dugongs (Dugong dugon) belonging to a relict population in the Gulf of Kachchh, India


Affiliations
1 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India, India
2 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bengaluru 560 097, India, India
3 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Department of Ecology and Environment, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India, India
 

A relict dugong population resides in the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK), Gujarat, India. Very little is known about this population stemming from a lack of focused studies and inadequate examination of previous strandings. The present study gathers crucial ecological information through a systematic post-mortem examination of stran­ded dugongs in GoK. As indicated through dorsal tusk-rake scars on two carcasses, this study presents records of derivative physical evidence. Progressive healing and differences in the width of the scars indicated more than two individuals had participated in a sexual agno­stic or courtship event. Conversely, our findings report that both animals suffered relative effects of asphyxiation after fishing net entanglement. The implication of a prior pathological condition(s) in the form of dermal cysts, swollen mesenteric lymph nodes and endoparasites is also reported. Stomach content was examined for a qualitative dietary characterization. Halophila beccari, Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were found in the stomach content. Other potential threats as well as fishing net microfilaments found in the stomach con­tents of both dugongs are discussed
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  • Scars of hope and forewarn of a bleak future: post-mortem findings of dugongs (Dugong dugon) belonging to a relict population in the Gulf of Kachchh, India

Abstract Views: 286  |  PDF Views: 148

Authors

Sameeha Pathan
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India, India
Anant Pande
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bengaluru 560 097, India, India
Kuppusamy Sivakumar
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Department of Ecology and Environment, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India, India
J. A. Johnson
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India, India

Abstract


A relict dugong population resides in the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK), Gujarat, India. Very little is known about this population stemming from a lack of focused studies and inadequate examination of previous strandings. The present study gathers crucial ecological information through a systematic post-mortem examination of stran­ded dugongs in GoK. As indicated through dorsal tusk-rake scars on two carcasses, this study presents records of derivative physical evidence. Progressive healing and differences in the width of the scars indicated more than two individuals had participated in a sexual agno­stic or courtship event. Conversely, our findings report that both animals suffered relative effects of asphyxiation after fishing net entanglement. The implication of a prior pathological condition(s) in the form of dermal cysts, swollen mesenteric lymph nodes and endoparasites is also reported. Stomach content was examined for a qualitative dietary characterization. Halophila beccari, Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were found in the stomach content. Other potential threats as well as fishing net microfilaments found in the stomach con­tents of both dugongs are discussed

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi7%2F919-924