French national broadcaster, TF1 visited BCSS for a report on the Bazaruto Archipelago and its wildlife. Captivated by the seascape’s allure, the TV crew were particularly drawn to the dugong population, which resides in this seascape.
Dugongs, endangered animals, vital to marine biodiversity, graze on seagrass meadows, promoting underwater habitat health that supports diverse species and sustains fisheries for coastal communities. However, along the east coast of Africa, threats like gill net entanglement and habitat degradation from human activities have led to significant seagrass decline, endangering dugong populations.
While Australian dugongs can still be found in relative abundance, the Bazaruto seascape remains the last regional bastion of hope for the species’ survival in Africa with a resident population of about 300 individuals. As this makes up approximately 90% of its remaining East African population, researchers had long made the case for the region’s dugong population be listed as ‘critically endangered.’ Thanks to the work of African Parks, this finally happened 2022, providing the species with the highest level of global protection.
The successful management of Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (BANP) highlights the importance of inclusive community development, strategic research, and fair law enforcement in conserving key species like dugongs. By fostering partnerships based on trust and accountability, the Park has reduced illegal activity while improving local livelihoods, offering a model for sustainable seascape management.
Working in the broader Bazaruto seascape mostly outside the boundaries of the designated Marine Protected Area, BCSS engages in conservation and research efforts in waters that are equally as biodiverse and ecologically vital as those of the BANP.
The Bazaruto seascape is home to many iconic species, including Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris). (Orlando Miranda & Salvador Colvee/BCSS)
Often, dugongs traverse the boundaries of the BANP and venture into waters that BCSS monitors. In those cases, the BCSS team collects spatial data on the species as well as in all other marine life. When doing so, the team always follows the necessary strict code of conduct that visitors to the Park and beyond should also follow when encountering dugongs.
While human caution is critical to the species’ well-being and survival, the focus and awareness about the signficance of the dugong and its Bazaruto home resulting from media reports will hopefully serve as a boon to people’s desire to protect marine species and environments.
TF 1’s footage was provided in fragments. Edited into sequence do not necessarily reflect the actual boat survey (mock-up) undertaken.
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For questions about this article, please contact:
Ekaterina Kalashnikova, Bazaruto Archipelago – Ocean Observatory Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies ekaterina.kalashnikova@bcssmz.org
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