fr. Wikipedia
The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a large marine mammal which, together with the manatees, is one of four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century. It is also the only sirenian in its range, which spans the waters of at least 37 countries throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Dugong range
The dugong is the only strictly marine herbivorous mammal and grazes on seagrass beds which are primarily found in fresh water. Like all mammals, dugongs breathe air and mothers nurse their babies. Female dugongs have one calf after a year long pregnancy, and the mother helps her young reach the surface and take its first breath. A young dugong remains close to its mother for about 18 months, sometimes catching a ride on her broad back.
With its long lifespan of 70 years or more, and slow rate of reproduction, the dugong is especially vulnerable to extinction.
A Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU) entered into force on 31 October 2007 after being signed by 7 range states (Australia, Eritrea, France, Madagascar, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates and the United Republic of Tanzania) who have since been joined by four additional signatories (India, the Comores, Kenya and the Philippines) to raise the number of signatories to 11 range states to date.
Note that Indonesia is NOT one of them yet dugongs still survive in Kalimantan, specifically the Balikpapan Bay and the Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan, the Karimata Islands off the coast of West Kalimantan, and Kotawaringin and Kumai in Central Kalimantan.
A Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU) entered into force on 31 October 2007 after being signed by 7 range states (Australia, Eritrea, France, Madagascar, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates and the United Republic of Tanzania) who have since been joined by four additional signatories (India, the Comores, Kenya and the Philippines) to raise the number of signatories to 11 range states to date.
Note that Indonesia is NOT one of them yet dugongs still survive in Kalimantan, specifically the Balikpapan Bay and the Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan, the Karimata Islands off the coast of West Kalimantan, and Kotawaringin and Kumai in Central Kalimantan.
Numbers are not known but may be between 1000 and 10,000.
In July 2002, the Balikpapan Bay and Watershed Management Plan - which was signed by the Governor of East Kalimantan, the Mayor of Balikpapan, Regents (Bupatis) of three Regencies (Pasir, Penajam Paser Utara, Kutai Kartanegara), and witnessed by the Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries - committed these multiple jurisdictions to work together to serve as a model for other bay and watershed planning throughout Indonesia.
One section of the outline of the survey which lead to the Plan, and was published in 1999, referred to Ecology: covering the shape and morphology of the beaches, flora and fauna, ecosystems, water quality, sediment, and the condition of the location in general.
In July last year the Head of Regional Development Planning Board (Bappeda) Balikpapan Suryanto said that what worries the community and environmental activists is a natural thing.
One section of the outline of the survey which lead to the Plan, and was published in 1999, referred to Ecology: covering the shape and morphology of the beaches, flora and fauna, ecosystems, water quality, sediment, and the condition of the location in general.
In July last year the Head of Regional Development Planning Board (Bappeda) Balikpapan Suryanto said that what worries the community and environmental activists is a natural thing.
"However, it was not possible for us to think about the effects of it."
According to Stan Lhota,who "is involved in an almost hopeless campaign to prevent the destruction of local biocorridors and mangrove ecosystems", these worries are significant.
Sediment from land clearance, factory waste and shipping result in the loss of seagrass, the main diet of dugongs, and heavy metals from industrial waste accumulate not only in the fish eaten by local people, but also in the seagrass.
Shipping is strongly associated with industrial development; the disposal of oil, painting and cleaning the ships while they are in port are all a source of pollutants. Boat engine noises interrupt the dugongs in their search for food and force them to areas further afield.
Until now, industry is largely confined to the lower reaches of Balikpapan Bay, but the proposed upstream expansion of the Kariangau Industrial Area (KIK) will cause further deterioration to the bay and its marine life.
Already two companies have begun clearing land to build crude palm oil (CPO) mills. PT Dock Kencana Indonesia (Golden Agri Ltd., part of the vast Sinar Mas empire) has land in a protected area, while PT Bumi Andalas Blooms (Wilmar Group) has cleared mangroves. (I've lambasted these two companies a few times for the environmental havoc they wreak, such as here.)
There are still coral reefs, green sea turtles and dolphins as well as the dugongs in Balikpapan Bay, but, as Stan Lhota says, the expansion of the Kariangau Industrial Area goes ahead, the city of Balikpapan city will no longer be referred to as "Green, Clean and Healthy".
Sediment from land clearance, factory waste and shipping result in the loss of seagrass, the main diet of dugongs, and heavy metals from industrial waste accumulate not only in the fish eaten by local people, but also in the seagrass.
Shipping is strongly associated with industrial development; the disposal of oil, painting and cleaning the ships while they are in port are all a source of pollutants. Boat engine noises interrupt the dugongs in their search for food and force them to areas further afield.
Until now, industry is largely confined to the lower reaches of Balikpapan Bay, but the proposed upstream expansion of the Kariangau Industrial Area (KIK) will cause further deterioration to the bay and its marine life.
Already two companies have begun clearing land to build crude palm oil (CPO) mills. PT Dock Kencana Indonesia (Golden Agri Ltd., part of the vast Sinar Mas empire) has land in a protected area, while PT Bumi Andalas Blooms (Wilmar Group) has cleared mangroves. (I've lambasted these two companies a few times for the environmental havoc they wreak, such as here.)
There are still coral reefs, green sea turtles and dolphins as well as the dugongs in Balikpapan Bay, but, as Stan Lhota says, the expansion of the Kariangau Industrial Area goes ahead, the city of Balikpapan city will no longer be referred to as "Green, Clean and Healthy".
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This post was initiated by an email from Stan Lhota. Google and I have translated it from Indonesian, and I've used other sources, as per the links.If you wish to support him, these are his contact details:
Stanislav Lhota, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Dept. Zool., Univ. of South Bohemia
Scheinerova 1833
Teplice, 415 02
Czech Republic
His publications are available here and you can email him here.
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