The estimated population of dugongs in Tamil Nadu has been put at 270. “The findings indicate that the dugong population in Tamil Nadu is stable and doing well, says Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department. In a social media post, she said together, Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar now represent the largest viable dugong population in India. These observations yielded an overall abundance estimate of 270 (plus or minus 16) dugongs for Tamil Nadu. While the study represented a significant advancement in dugong population assessment, it also had some methodological limitations.

Source: The Hindu February 06, 2026 06:10 UTC