A fisherman in Yilan, Taiwan, recently caught a live dugong, marking the first official record of the species in Taiwan in nearly a century. The Taiwan Cetacean Society notes that the scientific community generally considers the dugong to be extinct in Taiwan. However, the reappearance of the dugong raises two possibilities: either there is still a small, undiscovered population in Taiwan, or the individual may have migrated from the Okinawa population, possibly due to ocean currents or food sources.
On the morning of the 25th, a fisherman surnamed Chen discovered the approximately 3-meter-long, 500-kilogram dugong in his fixed net about 800 meters offshore from Fenniaolin. Unaware of the species' significance, Chen released it back into the sea, documenting the entire process. Scholars confirmed through video footage that the animal was indeed a dugong, a species considered extinct in Taiwan and often associated with mermaid legends.
Secretary-General Tseng of the Taiwan Cetacean Society explained that dugongs feed on seagrass and inhabit shallow waters, with their range extending from Okinawa to the Philippines and Indonesia. Although Taiwan is part of their habitat, scientists believe the local population is extinct, as stated by the IUCN. This recent sighting is the first modern record of a dugong in Taiwan, surprising the scientific community.
Historical records show that a dugong was caught by fishermen on Taiwan's north coast in 1937, but there is no detailed location. The earliest formal record dates back to 1931, with a specimen collected in Hengchun, Pingtung, now housed at the National Taiwan University's Zoological Museum.
Individuals caught in fixed nets are usually in good health, and fishermen often release them. However, there was no official report in this case, possibly due to concerns among fishermen. The Coast Guard Administration has been promoting the reporting of large marine mammals caught in fixed nets, which are considered less invasive than other fishing methods.
