India plays a significant role in dugong conservation by having the largest population within South Asia. The status of dugongs in India is largely unknown due to a paucity of reliable ecological data. This study generated mitochondrial control region sequences from ~10% of dugong individuals from existing populations within India. Furthermore, data generated in this study were compared with the global data to assess genetic lineages, population structure, and genetic diversity of Indian populations. Multiple analyses suggest that the Indian dugong populations are part of a single genetic cluster, comprising South Asia, North‐west Indian Ocean, and South‐west Indian Ocean populations. Despite small population size, they retain high genetic diversity with unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes within South Asia. Within India, novel haplotypes are observed from all dugong habitats sampled, with overall high haplotype diversity (0.85 ± 0.04) but low nucleotide diversity (0.005 ± 0.001). Indian populations exhibit genetic differentiation with higher within‐population variance (63.41%) than among populations (36.59%). Two of the haplotypes observed in India are shared with Sri Lanka, implying genetic connectivity between these populations. The genetic data from Indian dugong populations provide critical insights into the identification of dugong corridors and important dugong conservation zones in India. We suggest site‐specific interventions, including the creation of new marine protected areas and boundary reorganization and expansion of other existing protected areas, to ensure population connectivity. In addition, simultaneous efforts towards seagrass meadow restoration, reduction of dugong mortalities, and community participation in dugong conservation are recommended for population recovery of this threatened marine herbivore.

No abstract

This research is the first to assess marine litter and plastic pollution in India's first marine protected area (MPA), the Gulf of Kachchh Marine Protected Area (GOKMPA).We compare it to two non-protected areas, that is, Okha Beach and Beyt Dwarka, known for their high industrial and tourist activity, respectively. Standing-stock surveys were used to collect primary litter data, while questionnaire surveys were used to learn about people's perception and attitude towards the plastic pollution problem in the study area. We found that plastic was the most common component of the litter at all the sites and that it was primarily of terrestrial origin. Compared to non-protected sites, GOKMPA had the lowest litter density but the highest proportion of plastic litter. Single-use plastic bottles were the most counted items at all the sites, regardless of the conservation status of the sites. The majority of people (locals, visitors, and fishers) around these sites expressed concern about waste but were hesitant to take responsibility and discourage or prevent littering. We noted that designating coastal territories as protected areas helps in reducing plastic pollution while also conserving habitat and biodiversity. However, this could change rapidly due to either mishandling of litter within MPAs or neighboring non-PAs, and also because plastics pose an actual toxicity risk when present even at minimal concentrations in the environment. We recommend combining preventive, mitigating, and curative measures in areas where risk hotspots for plastic litter are identified, and such sites must be constantly monitored. Long-term solutions could include transitioning from a linear to a circular economy, which would involve goals for reducing plastic waste and instituting more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

1) India plays a central role in dugong conservation by hosting the largest population within south Asia. Current knowledge on status of Indian dugongs is limited due to paucity of reliable ecological data. This study generates mitochondrial control region sequences from about 10% of dugong population from major dugong populations within India. These data was compared with the global data to assess genetic lineages, population structure and genetic diversity of Indian populations.2) Multiple analyses suggest that the Indian dugong populations are part of a single genetic cluster, comprising south Asia, northwest Indian ocean and southwest Indian ocean populations. Despite small population size, they retain high genetic diversity with unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes within south Asia.3) Within India, novel haplotypes were observed from all sampling sites with overall high haplotype diversity (0.85±0.04) but low nucleotide diversity (0.005±0.001). Indian populations exhibit high genetic differentiation with higher within-population variance (63.41%) than among populations (36.59%), signaling population structure. Few haplotypes were shared with Sri Lanka and southeast Asian populations, indicating potential genetic connectivity. 4)Being the most genetically unique population within south Asia, Indian dugong populations are globally significant. We recommend that Indian Dugong populations should be managed as a Conservation Unit to ensure population recovery and long-term survival of the species.

No abstract