Outrage in Egypt over poaching endangered dugong
Outrage in Egypt over poaching endangered dugong
Egyptians have expressed anger after a citizen posted a photo of fishing the endangered dugong in the Red Sea, calling for an investigation to be opened into the incident.
The photo shows the fisherman posing on a small boat beside the dugong, without noting when or where exactly he fished the marine animal, which is also known as the sea cow and in Egypt as a mermaid. Social media users accused the fisherman of violating the marine environment and asked for him to be held accountable.
The fisherman took to Facebook to deny any wrongdoing, saying, “As for the fish... we don't know anything about it. It came with us. I spent my whole life in the sea, and it's the first time I saw it. […] We threw it [back] alive.”
However, the director of the Technical Office for Natural Reserves in the Red Sea, Walid Ramadan, told Al Shorouk newspaper on April 13 that the fisherman did not tell the truth but caught the animal deliberately, adding that the dugong died on the boat, as the fisherman pulled it with a very strong tie from its tail, which led to its death.
Following the social media outrage, the fisherman was arrested by the police, Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad announced in a statement on April 12, noting that the time of the incident has been determined and the necessary measures will be taken against the man for violating the anti-poaching rules.
The dugong is a large marine mammal, ranging in length from 2.5 to 3 meters. After a pregnancy that lasts 13 to 14 months, the female usually gives birth to one baby in the water, the Egyptian Ministry of Environment said in a statement.
The animal has been on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered and Endangered since 2015, as its population around the globe is in decrease, according to the IUCN.
“Dugong animals represent one of the most important tourist attractions for the Marsa Alam region, which mainly depends on the factors of distinction in biological diversity and the unique nature of its coasts,” the ministry added.
