Hh. Deiongh et al., AERIAL SURVEY OF THE DUGONG (DUGONG-DUGON MULLER, 1776) IN COASTAL WATERS OF THE LEASE-ISLANDS, EAST INDONESIA, Marine and freshwater research, 46(4), 1995, pp. 759-761
During December 1990 and August 1992, aerial surveys of dugongs were m
ade along the coastlines of the Lease Islands in East Indonesia. The a
erial surveys followed a strip transect covering the coastal shelf and
totalled 3.5 h of observation. During the first survey, 17 dugongs we
re observed, one of which was a neonatal calf; during the second surve
y, 10 dugongs were seen but no neonates. The minimum population of dug
ongs was estimated to be between 22 and 37 animals. The population pro
bably interacts with a larger unidentified reservoir of dugongs in the
coastal waters of nearby Seram and Buru Islands.