DOOMED DUGONG

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 May 1935, Page 4

DOOMED DUGONG

ENEMIES HUNT ANIMAL Extinction seems to be the doom of the curious and valuable sea-mammal known as the dugong. A member of tire small family of sea-cows, which includes only one other species—the manatee of Atlantic waters —the dugong at one time was plentiful in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the South Pacific Ocean. But, as a result of constant hunting these, creatures have suffered for the sake of their meat and their oil and they are now seen very rarely. They are still fairly plentiful, however, in the Coral Sea and in Torres Strait, where I have seen large herds of between 20 and 30 (writes (E.K.P.. in the Melbourne Argus).

The dugong was classified once as a whale. Although the creature is somewhat whale-like in appearance, it is not a member of the whale family. It grows to an average length of about 9ft., and it weighs anything up to 20001 b., or even more. Its body, which is of a bluish-grey colour on top and whitish underneath, is somewhat cylindrical in shape, gradually taperinc toward a half-moon shaped tail. The dugong has a pair of large foreflippers, but it has neither hind limbs nor fins. Its head, almost human in outline, is rather small in comparison with the rest of the body. It has dark and deep-set eyes, tiny ears, and nostrils which have valve-like flaps to exclude the water when it is beneath the surface.

NEVER IN FRESH WATER The dugong is entirely marine in its habits, and, unlike its cousin, the manatee, it never enters fresh water. The female gives birth to a single young one at a time, and breeds only once a year. She suckles her baby, and nurses and attends it with great care. When feeding it she clasps the infant to her breast with her flippers, and drifts along with her head and the

upper part 'of her body showing above th? water. In such a position she looks remarkably human-like from a distance. It is easy to understand how the strange creature gave rise to the famous mermaid myth of the old-time voyagers. Harmless and ‘entirely defenceless, tho dugong is an easy prey to those bent on slaughter. A very remarkable method of harpooning the dugongs is employed the. natives of the Coral Sea. They go out in outrigger canoes, each of which is equipped with a dugong harpoon—called a “wap”—which is a. bamboo pole about 15ft. long. Into a hole in the end of the pole is oosely inserted a barbed head, to which is attached a stout rope about 100 ft. long, The other end of this icpe- is fastened to the bow of the canoe. As soon as a dugong is sighted breathing at the surface the natives approach as closely as possible without disturbing their quarry. When the canoe is about 20ft. from the animal

.1 native hurls the harpoon at it, and so unerring is the aim that in nine cases out of ten the weapon strikes its target. When harpooned tho dugong 4mm'cdiately submerges and runs out the ropo fastened to the harpoon-head, which has become separated from the bamboo shaft. Being unable to stay under water very long the dugong 1 ises again to breathe after a few minutes, and when it docs so two natives jump overboard and quickly loop another rope round the animal’s tail. Then, whenever the creature attempts to rise to breathe, the natives keep pulling it under by diving with the rope round its tail. Before long the helpteses, unwieldy mammel is suffocated or drowned. Owing to the dugong’s thick skin and blubber the har-poon-head rarely penetrates a vital organ.

Although this method of hunting dugong is easy work to the natives, who are born fishermen and divers, it has its dangers, for often man-eat-ing sharks make a sudden appearance in the waters in which the fishermen are operating. This happened when I was out with some native hunters. Two natives were in the water se-

curing a harpooned dugong when a large tiger shark appeared. It concentrated on one native, and in its first rush nipped a piece out of his leg. The monster swirled round to attack again, when suddenly another native grabbed' a. long, multi-barbed spear from the bottom of the canoe and plunged overboard, at the same iime driving tiro spear deep into the shark's side. The dive and the spearing were among the most magnificently brave actions 1 have ever seen, for had the native missed with his spear lie would have fallen a. victim to tiic man-eater. It was the end of the shark, it rolled over and over in the water with the spear sticking in its side. Then another native plunged another spear into the monster’s neck. In loss than five minutes the great creature, which was approximately 15ft. long, was secured with rope, and. towing their double catch —the dugong and the shark. —the natives went home. That night they gorged themselves with shark .and dugong meat. Thar was the first occasion on which I tasted dugong meat, and I consider it to be tiic most delicious meat obtainable from the sea. It is white. It has not a fishy flavour, and it is tastier than oacon. It is also of high food value, being rich in iodine and phosphates from tho sea.

TEARS A "LOVE-CHARM.”

A remarkable fact about the dugong is iliac when removed from the water :i "weeps” from its dark, deep-set < yes. Some of the natives collect, these "tears,'’ believing that they act 1 as a powerful “love-charm.” The na- • ive.s wore tho first to discover the high medicinal value of the dugong oil. which is now used • extensively throughout the world in the treatment i f chest complaints, bronchial troubles, and for rheumatism and paralysis. The oil is also excellent for • renting bad burns, a method which the natives have employed since the earliest days.

It is said that this wonderful animal is defenceless, not onlj' against man but also against the manv marine enemies which are rapidly hastening its extinction. One of its worst enemies is the shark. On many occasions 1 have seen these man-eaters snatch a baby from a mother dugong’s breast. Once I saw a most inspiring example of the devouring of an animal mother for her offspring. When attacked by a shark the mother dugong

■ milted her baby behind her and sheltered it witli her massive body. Thus baulked of its choice prey, the shark

'" it - anger al tacked the . mother. The . .iter's teeth did terrible work but the dugong, beating her flipp *rs and loiepim: Imr baby Ijehind her all

the while, moved toward the shallow water. I( was a cunning move, for soon she had tho shark floundering hjplessly in less than 2ft. of water. 'l’hen we acted, and a bullet put an ind to tho shark. As the mother du:’on.”' reached the safety of the shallows she collapsed in a torn, bloody ma-.- and died. Her baby nos .-d Ivt lifeless body for a few minutes. The. it. clumsily made its way to where a small croup nt’ <|ii!.'o|i"< were fe, (]i)p-