About the reserve- The Tamil Nadu State government has announced plans to set up a 500-sq km Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay. This is India’s first dugong conservation reserve.
- As per Wildlife Institute of India, the area is being used as breeding grounds by dugongs and therefore identified as a ‘critical habitat of the dugong’.
- Flora-About 82% of the proposed conservation reserve is covered with seagrass with 48% having intensive seagrass cover.
- Other Fauna-The proposed conservation reserve supports several globally important species such as the highly-threatened whale shark, sea horses, green and hawksbill sea turtles, dolphins and sacred chanks.
