Photo: 123RF
An action plan is being hatched to try to save the iconic New Caledonian dugong after it became classed as an endangered species.
The World Wide Fund (WWF) is the main donor for a rescue plan and is deliberating on what measures it can take to preserve the iconic sea beast.
The New Caledonian office of the WWF wants to raise awareness with communities that are impacting the most on the dugong's wellbeing.
The groups impacting the Dugong's lifestyle the most include fishermen, boaters, nickel factories, and poachers.
The head of the office, Marc Oremus, said it also wants to invest in tools to help reduce habitat and population loss including satellite imagery, radar surveillance, and surveillance teams, as well as the latest innovative gadgets.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said the mammal is at risk because of a loss of seagrass on which the dugongs depend for food.
It said this was the result of agricultural runoff, pollution from nickel mining and coastal development, and damage from anchors.
Oremus told RNZ Pacific it will pitch the safeguarding measures for the species to the international body.
"We have made a certain number of scientific studies which brought crucial information to the level of disparity of the species. Now that it is classed as endangered we can now focus on enforcing greater protection laws on the territory.
"We realised that our level of protection was nowhere near enough for the species."
The dugong is considered extinct in China, and in East Africa it is critically endangered.