dugongs are elusive creatures<\/span><\/a> that typically graze on seagrass meadows. They are classified globally as vulnerable to extinction as they are particularly susceptible to human threats due to their long lifespans and slow reproduction rates.<\/p>\n\u201cI really couldn\u2019t believe my eyes when I saw it. It was quite sad because I know that they\u2019re really rare, both in Singapore and in general,\u201d Ang said. He added that he felt even worse when he saw what appeared to be plastic wrapped around the animal\u2019s abdomen and tail.<\/p>\n
A few children unsuccessfully tried to pull the carcass closer using fishing hooks, he recalled.<\/p>\n
The dugong eventually washed ashore and was discovered farther along the East Coast Park beach by passers-by Saachi Iyer and Naina Dadlani at about 7.30pm.<\/p>\n
Marcus Chua, a mammal curator at the National University of Singapore\u2019s (NUS) Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, identified the animal as a juvenile. Before this, the last known record of the species in Singapore was another carcass found off Pulau Hantu in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cDugong sightings or strandings are rare in Singapore, and it is rather unfortunate as we would rather see them alive on our shores,\u201d Chua said.<\/p>\n
Excluding those which have inconclusive autopsy findings, dugongs that need help or are found dead in Singapore tend to be linked to vessel strikes and entanglement with fishing gear, said Sirius Ng, a dugong researcher at NUS.<\/p>\n
He noted that calves account for a majority of such records here, mirroring a concerning global trend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIncreased calf stranding rates have been observed in dugong populations throughout South-east Asia and the Arabian Gulf,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n