“We are forced to conclude that dugongs have experienced rapid population collapse in recent decades and are now functionally extinct in China,” the study said
Endangered species tends to label the species dugong the sea cowas their traces have been lost in their natural environment since 2008.
The aquatic mammals that once roamed the seas between her East Africa and the South Pacific and inspired the myth of mermaids, have not been spotted in 14 years, and Chinese officials have not seen one in the wild since 2000, according to the paper published in Royal Society Open Science.
“We are forced to conclude that dugongs have experienced a rapid population collapse in recent decades and are now functionally extinct in China,” the study said.
The study authors interviewed nearly 800 fishermen in China to reach their conclusions. Scientists will declare an animal functionally extinct if they feel certain that the amount left in a species is not large enough to sustain a viable population – even if some are still alive.
“The possible extinction of the dugong in China is a devastating loss,” said Samuel Turvey, author of the study. “Their absence will not only have a negative impact on ecosystem functioning, but will also serve as a wake-up call – a reminder that extinctions can occur before effective conservation actions are developed.”
Dugongs have been hunted for centuries and used by many cultures for their meat and oil. Anthropologists believe it was the inspiration for mermaids.
Populations were significantly affected by the advent of motorized boats. Turvey cited “unsustainable human activity” as the cause of the “regional loss”.
Scientists believe that “the dramatic population decline experienced by the species in recent decades is highly unlikely to be halted or reversed under current conditions.”
Sea creatures can reach lengths of up to 4.5 meters.
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