Earthjustice blog December 16, 2015
The dugong is a marine mammal similar to the Florida manatee.
The new governor of Okinawa, Japan takes local sovereignty seriously, and he’s using his position to oppose U.S. military development that would threaten the Okinawa dugong. But this gentle giant of the sea won’t be spared without a fight.
You may never have heard of the dugong, a marine mammal similar to the Florida manatee. Dugongs are shy creatures, living out their quiet lives in shallow seagrass beds around the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. The waters surrounding the Japanese island of Okinawa are home to some of the few remaining Okinawa dugongs, rare, genetically isolated and critically endangered members of the dugong species. Dugongs are central to the creation mythology, folklore and rituals of the people of Okinawa. Because of its cultural significance, Japanese law protects the dugong as a cultural monument.
read more…
The dugong is a marine mammal similar to the Florida manatee.
The new governor of Okinawa, Japan takes local sovereignty seriously, and he’s using his position to oppose U.S. military development that would threaten the Okinawa dugong. But this gentle giant of the sea won’t be spared without a fight.
You may never have heard of the dugong, a marine mammal similar to the Florida manatee. Dugongs are shy creatures, living out their quiet lives in shallow seagrass beds around the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. The waters surrounding the Japanese island of Okinawa are home to some of the few remaining Okinawa dugongs, rare, genetically isolated and critically endangered members of the dugong species. Dugongs are central to the creation mythology, folklore and rituals of the people of Okinawa. Because of its cultural significance, Japanese law protects the dugong as a cultural monument.
read more…
