New Conservation Effort Brings New Hope for Busuanga Dugongs

BUSUANGA, Palawan (November 28, 2012) – The graceful, reclusive and increasingly rare dugongs of Busuanga Island, in Northern Palawan, have become the focus of conservation action by a new organization committed to keeping the dugongs around for future generations to appreciate. C3 Philippines, with its head office in Barangay Salvacion in Busuanga Municipality, is working hand-in-hand with coastal communities to come up with ingenious and very local ways to incentivize people to act and take ownership of the protection of their island’s rich biodiversity.

The International Union of Conservation for Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has identified the dugong as a species that is already vulnerable to extinction.

In Busuanga, dugongs are threatened by cyanide and dynamite used illegally for fishing. Dugongs also die after being caught in fish corrals known locally as ‘baklad’. The occasional opportunistic and highly illegal hunting of the animal is another threat, according to Jaysee Matillano, Programme Officer for C3 Philippines, and the key person in-charge of the organization’s island field office.

As Program Officer of the Salvacion Field Office, Matillano is well-versed with the challenges dugongs face in Busuanga and he is concerned with one threat in particular.

“Only a few people seem to realize that one of biggest threats to dugongs is habitat destruction,” he said.

Matillano explained that, dugongs depend on seagrass meadows for their survival as it is their primary source of food. These meadows are sensitive to the effects of human activities on the island. Excessive sedimentation and pollution from economic activities and nutrient loading from agricultural runoff going into coastal waters will block sunlight and cause the plants to die.

“The health of seagrass meadows is very important,” Matillano said. “If the seagrass disappears, so would the dugong.”

With support from the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, one of the ways in which C3 Philippines is working to enhance the conservation of dugongs within the municipality is through the conduct of grassroots research. The organization’s research work, done in partnership with the Municipal Government of Busuanga, is aimed at providing local government units with solid scientific findings. These findings are then put to use to enhance science-based action on the part of the Municipal Government, as it manages Busuanga’s natural resources.

One such work currently being done by C3 Philippines is to study the island’s remaining rich and vibrant seagrass meadows. Such areas, once identified, will be the focus of further research and conservation action due to the vital role these key habitats play on Busuanga’s remaining dugong population.

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C3 Philippines is a non-profit organization working to develop conservation efforts in the Philippines by building the capacity of local individuals and institutions through grassroots research and training initiatives. To find out more please visit www.c-3.org.uk.

Contact:
Leo Rex C. Cayaban, Programme Coordinator
C3 Philippines
Barangay Salvacion, Busuanga Municipality
Palawan Province, Philippines
leo@c-3.org.uk
(63) 0918-5534-702

This release was published on openPR.