Discovering Vanuatus Dugongs

A tiny organisation battling the odds to better understand and protect a very special population of dugongs 

Interview with Christina Shaw of Vanuatu Environmental Science Society (VESS)

AROUND THE INDO-PACIFIC, as part of an international effort called the Dugong and Sea grass Conservation Project, people and organisations are being mobilised to help protect dugongs and their habitats. SDAA talked to Christina Shaw of the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society (VESS), one of the smallest of these initiatives, about what it means to be working on the front line of the fight to protect these wonderful creatures.

1 Why is it important to better understand and protect dugongs and their habitats? And why is it important in Vanuatu specifically?

Dugongs are iconic marine mammals and we have a duty to ensure they do not become extrinct. Dugongs live around the coasts and are at risk because they are competing with humans in the same ecosystems.

Vanuatu is the most easterly country of the dugong’s range, and we think that here there are perhaps not quite as many threats to them (such as habitat loss) as in other industrialised countries or countries with higher populations.

Vanuatu might be one of the places that gives them a better chance of survival. But we don’t know how many are here, and so we don’t know if the population will be too small to survive or whether there is a realistic chance we could be a haven for future generations of dugongs.

Seagrass beds have a hugely important role in the ecosystem as fish nurseries, coastal protection and carbon skinks to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Many people in Vanuatu live a subsistence lifestyle, near the coast, and rely on natural resources for food. Ensuring seagrass beds, along with coral reefs and mangroves, stay healthy in Vanuatu is important for security.

2 How did you get into dugong research and conservation?