Options for Handling a Stranded Orphaned Dugong Calf: Advice to Policy Makers and Managers

Deciding what to do with a stranded dugong calf is particularly challenging for policy makers and managers, as dugongs generally do not do well in captivity and are highly dependent on their mothers. A dugong calf is dependent on its mother for at least the first 18 months of life. Without their mothers most die within a few weeks. Dugongs are also marine mammals that are not well suited to life in an aquarium. A small number of dugongs have been kept in aquariums for prolonged periods but, to date, none have bred in captivity and there are no records of hand-reared dugongs being successfully released back to the wild. Keeping a dugong in an aquarium presents many challenges, both from the perspective of the animal’s welfare and for the facility. This document presents the advantages and disadvantages of five options for handling a dugong calf stranded without its mother: (1) release back into the sea; (2) hand-rear in captivity in the home country; (3) hand-rear in an unrestricted wild setting in the home country; (4) transfer to an aquarium in another country with the capacity for long-term care; or (5) euthanasia. This document provides information to help policy makers and managers make the decision most appropriate to their circumstances.