The Dugongs are back!

 _________________________________________________________________________________

In the Seychelles archipelago, the world's second largest coral atoll is found, it is part of the outer islands of the Seychelles. Aldabra is uninhabited and still in its natural form (gratefully). The Aldabra Atoll consists of four islands around a large shallow lagoon encircled by fringing coral reef.

The lagoon itself is filled with black tip sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and so many more amazing creatures of the ocean.

Aldabra Atoll also, has the largest population of giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) in the world, this is about 100,000 of them.

Aldabra was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1982, by UNESCO and as a site under Indian Ocean South East Asia Turtle Network.

Dugongs (Dugong Dugon) are found in tropical and subtropical coastal areas. "Dugongs are believed to be declining or extinct across a third of their range" (Source: www.dugongs.org) They have been classified as 'vulnerable' since 1892 till now, by the IUCN, though they are native to many countries including the Seychelles itself.

Long time ago, around 200 years, when the Seychelles was first discovered by Europeans, Dugongs, also known as sea cows we're commonly spotted in the Seychelles waters. Ile Aux Vaches (Cow Island in English), known as Bird Island today, got its name because of the great number of Dugongs which gathered there to breed.

Dugongs where hunted to extinction in the Seychelles by seafarers eager to exploit them for their meat and oil. Since then, dugongs we're not seen again until 2001. Aldabra was known as a safe refuge for dugongs and has extensive seagrass beds, located both inside and outside of the lagoon, where they can feed and reproduce.

Luckily, recently, a group of conservationists working on Aldabra, saw a dugong swimming peacefully though the atoll's waters. This group of conservationists are working with Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF) which job is to manage and protect the World Heritage Sites of the Seychelles for the moment we only have two World Heritage Sites, Vallee de Mai and Aldabra.

SIF role in the project is to undertake surveys to assess the status of Aldabra's dugong's population, which may I add, is not known by the IUCN.

We are all happy to know that these fantastic creatures are slowly returning back to the Seychelles, the number of sightings is definitely increasing!