Dugong (Sea Cow) Conservation Quiz - English - Online Test

🐋 Dugong (Sea Cow) Conservation Quiz

Test your knowledge on the ecological role, legal status, and conservation efforts focused on the Dugong, especially India's first Dugong Reserve.

1. What is the single most significant threat to the Dugong population globally and nationally, according to the content?

A. Poaching for meat and oil. B. Habitat Loss due to industrial pollution. C. Bycatch Mortality (accidental entanglement in fishing gear). D. Collisions with fast-moving motorised vessels (Boat Strikes).

2. The Dugong is the only strictly herbivorous marine mammal in India and is considered an "Ecosystem Engineer." What is the main food source they depend on?

A. Marine algae and seaweed. B. Small crustaceans and plankton. C. Seagrass meadows. D. Small coastal fish.

3. What is the conservation status of the Dugong under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972?

A. Schedule IV (Protected, but lower penalty). B. Schedule I (Highest level of protection, equivalent to Tiger/Lion). C. Schedule V (Vermin, allowed to be hunted). D. Schedule II (Special Game).

4. Where is India's largest surviving Dugong population distributed, and which region became the location for India's First Dugong Conservation Reserve?

A. Gulf of Kutch and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. B. Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. C. Maharashtra and Gujarat Coasts. D. Sundarbans and Chilika Lagoon.

5. The Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay was declared by which state government in September 2022?

A. Andhra Pradesh. B. Kerala. C. Tamil Nadu. D. Odisha.

6. Dugongs are highly vulnerable to population decline primarily because of their:

A. Lack of natural predators in the Indian Ocean. B. Very slow reproductive rate (single calf every 3-7 years). C. Extreme sensitivity to boat noise pollution. D. Exclusive dependency on tropical coral reefs.

7. What is the purpose of the Compensation and Reward System introduced for fishers in the Palk Bay region?

A. To incentivize moving from fishing to coastal tourism. B. To compensate them for shifting from gill nets to bottom trawling. C. To reward those who report accidental Dugong entanglement and ensure safe release. D. To fund the Dugong Scholarship programme for fisher children.

8. India is a signatory to the UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU. What does CMS stand for in this context?

A. Coastal Monitoring System. B. Convention on Marine Species. C. Convention on Migratory Species. D. Climate Management Strategy.