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Q: With reference to ‘dugong’, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a herbivorous marine animal.
- It is found along the, entire coast of India.
- It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection. Act, 1972.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3
d) 3 only
The correct answer is 1 and 3 only.
Dugong
- It is also called ‘Sea Cow’ and is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia.
- It is the only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea including in India. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
- It is protected in India and occurs in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The skin of ‘dugong’ is thick and covered everywhere with fine hair which gives a prickly appearance in certain lights.
- They live in shallow, sheltered coastal waters where they feed upon sea-grasses and algae (herbivorous).
- At present, three areas of the Indian coast have a population of dugongs -the Gulf of Kutch, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Vulnerable in IUCN Red List. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.
- As in the Andaman Islands, the dugong has almost disappeared. They were hunted by mainland settlers for their meats and oil, and have also suffered from a loss of natural habitat (sea- grass beds). Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
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