Man arrested for illegally possessing Dugong meat

Officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation have arrested a man who was in possession of a kilo of Dugong (Sea Cow) meat.

The 64 year old resident of the Vankale, Anganispuuram area was arrested yesterday (April 06) upon receiving a tipoff from Navy officials in Mannar.

The suspect and the meat seized from his house, was produced before the Mannar Magistrate, who subsequently released the suspect on a surety of Rs. 500,000.

The case is to be taken up again on May 08.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation urges the public to inform them of such poachers via the hotline 1992.

Dugongs or Sea Cows have a similar plump appearance like their cousins – the Manatees, but have a dolphin fluke-like tail. And unlike Manatees, which use freshwater areas, the Dugong is strictly a marine mammal. In Sri Lankan waters, they are found near the Palk strait and in the Gulf of Mannar and feed on seagrass, playing a major role in maintaining and nourishing the seagrass ecosystems.
It is also a protected animal under the Wildlife and Flora Protection Ordinance. These animals are a very rare and facing extinction due to killing for meat, marine pollution, and illegal fishing activities.