China extinct mermaid-inspired mammal

• A manatee-related creature that inspired ancient mermaid and siren legends is extinct in China.
• Only three Chinese coastal residents have seen a dugong in the previous five years.
• Slow, easygoing behaviour makes the dugong susceptible to overfishing and maritime mishaps.

A manatee-related creature that inspired ancient mermaid and siren legends is extinct in China. Only three Chinese coastal residents have seen a dugong in the previous five years. Slow, easygoing behaviour makes the dugong susceptible to overfishing and maritime mishaps.

It occurs elsewhere but is threatened. “The probable demise of the dugong in China is a catastrophic loss,” stated Prof. Samuel Turvey of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). ZSL and the Chinese Academy of Science evaluated historical dugong data in China. Since 2000, scientists haven’t seen it. The researchers also interviewed 788 coastal residents to identify when they last saw one. Residents haven’t seen a dugong in 23 years. In the previous five years, just three individuals saw one.

This has prompted experts to declare the dugong functionally extinct, meaning “it can no longer feed itself,” says Heidi Ma of ZSL. Dugongs are unusual marine creatures. It’s the only vegetarian marine animal, weighing over a half-ton. Its soft, benevolent temperament has prompted some to assume it inspired old maritime legends of mermaids.

Sadly, because of its location along the coast in China, it was prey to hunters who sought the animal for its skin, bones, and flesh in the 20th century.

The Chinese State Council designated dugongs as a grade-one national priority protected species in 1988 as a result of a significant drop in population.

But scientists contend that a “rapid population decrease” has resulted from the habitat’s ongoing deterioration, particularly the absence of seagrass beds that serve as food.

According to the UN Environment Programme, 7% of seagrass habitat is lost worldwide each year as a result of climate change, unrestricted fishing, coastal expansion, industrial and agricultural pollutants.

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