The staff of Gabay Dagat Roxas and the municipal government have called on fishermen and residents not to harm or disturb dugongs (sea cows) when they see them in the sea.
The appeal came after a dead dugong was found on the sandbar of Johnson Island in Roxas on Monday, October 20.
According to Gabay Dagat Roxas, the animal was identified as a male dugong, but the cause of its death remains unclear.
A separate incident raised similar concern after residents discovered another dead dugong weighing about 100 kilos along the shore of Barangay Caramay around 1 p.m. on August 20.
Ed Agarap, head of Roxas Bantay Dagat, said the marine mammal may have been caught in a fishing net or trawl but noted that its death appeared deliberate.
“Marami siyang taga-taga o sugat sa katawan niya, mga scratches. Posible na ito ay nahuli sa trawl o lambat. Mag-iimbestiga tayo kung ano ang cause of death ng dugong na ito,” Agarap said.
He added that the dugong’s tail had been deliberately cut, with its intestines exposed.
Agarap said they will conduct an investigation to identify and hold accountable those behind the incident.
The dugong, also known as a sea cow, is a large marine mammal that feeds mainly on seagrass.
It is considered a critically endangered species in the Philippines under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 2019-09, which prohibits the hunting, capture, or killing of dugongs.
Violators face fines and possible imprisonment under Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Dugongs play an important role in keeping seagrass ecosystems healthy by helping promote growth, recycling nutrients, and maintaining balance in coastal habitats that support fish populations and store carbon.
