The Distribution of Dugongs and the Status of Seagrass in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India

Dugong are one of the marine mammals known to occur in the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK), Gujarat, India. In the past, very few studies were focused on dugong in the GoK, when studies did occur, they only employed interview surveys and stranding record-based methods. This study was carried out with the purpose of obtaining information based on interview surveys of the local fishermen, land-based monitoring, boat surveys and intertidal area survey for habitat assessment. In the course of the study, a single live sighting of dugong was observed, the first in twenty years. In addition, characteristic feeding trails were detected at six different sites in the region. This study found, the distribution of dugong was identified to be between Okha and Bedi. Evaluation of habitat indicated five different species of seagrass of which, Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were found to be most commonly occurring in the GoK, and has produced seagrass distribution maps through Remote Sensing. Seagrass area was estimated to be around 22.93 (23) km 2 in GoK. Maps of seagrass species and area indicate potential dugong habitat in the GoK.