Local Knowledge Strengthens Dugong and Seagrass Conservation in Rote Ndao

The coastal waters of Rote Ndao, Indonesia's southernmost island, are home to one of the most important habitats for dugongs (Dugong dugon) in the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS). Although these gentle marine mammals have become increasingly rare across much of their range, coastal communities in Rote Ndao continue to share valuable knowledge about where dugongs live, feed, and migrate. This local ecological knowledge is now helping guide future conservation efforts.

From 14–21 June 2026, the ATSEA Program, through the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Initiative (DSCI) supported by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, conducted a comprehensive Local Knowledge Survey across Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara. Implemented in collaboration with Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional/BRIN), the Kupang Coastal and Marine Resources Management Office, Nusa Cendana University, and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), the initiative combined community knowledge with scientific approaches to better understand dugong distribution and seagrass ecosystems.

Because dugongs are difficult to observe directly and spend much of their time underwater, local ecological knowledge provides an important source of information on where they occur, how they use coastal habitats, and how these habitats have changed over time.

Before field surveys began, ATSEA and its partners organised a two-day training on the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Dugong Questionnaire to strengthen the capacity of survey teams. Participants were trained in standardised interview techniques, participatory mapping, digital data collection using KoboCollect, and procedures for responding to stranded dugongs. Beyond ensuring consistent data collection, the training also strengthened local capacity for future conservation activities.

Using the CMS Dugong Questionnaire, the trained surveyor interviewed 104 respondents (97 men and 7 women) across the 12 coastal villages, including fishers, village leaders, seaweed farmers, and other community members.

Following the survey, the team also conducted community awareness sessions in the same villages, engaging 154 community members (134 men and 20 women). The sessions introduced Indonesia's regulations on Endangered, Threatened, and Protected (ETP) marine species, highlighted the ecological importance of dugongs and seagrass ecosystems, and explained appropriate procedures for responding to marine mammal strandings. These discussions encouraged local participation while strengthening understanding of marine conservation.

Survey findings confirmed that dugongs continue to inhabit several coastal areas of Rote Ndao. Survey respondents consistently identified Mulut Seribu as one of Rote Ndao's most important dugong habitats, with Horeo, Kare, and Tongga, Pukuafu and Mayoe frequently mentioned. In the western cluster, respondents recognised the waters surrounding Nuse Island, Pulau Dengka, and Ndao Island as equally important dugong habitat. Reports of sightings from one to two weeks before the survey indicate that dugongs continue to regularly use these productive coastal waters.

Among those contributing valuable insights was Mr. Esau Loe, Head of the Community-Based Surveillance Group (Kelompok Masyarakat Pengawas or Pokmaswas) in Holulai Village. For Loe, protecting the sea is about safeguarding both nature and the future of his community. Through years of monitoring the coastline and working alongside fellow community members, he has observed that dugongs, locally known as lui, still visit the waters around Holulai where healthy seagrass meadows remain.

"There used to be many lui (dugongs) here. When they feel safe and there is no disturbance, they come down to feed on the utalo (seagrass). They only appear when it is quiet, especially during high tide."

His observations reinforce what many survey respondents described. Interviewees demonstrated detailed knowledge of dugong feeding ecology, explaining that dugongs preferentially graze on short seagrass species such as Halophila spp. and Syringodium spp., observations that align with scientific research.

Beyond dugongs, respondents frequently reported encounters with sea turtles, dolphins, and whales, reinforcing the area's importance as habitat for multiple ETP marine species.

Community-based surveillance groups such as Pokmaswas also play an important role in supporting coastal management across Indonesia. Working alongside government agencies, members help monitor marine resources, report destructive fishing practices, and promote compliance with conservation regulations through community outreach and education.

The survey also captured valuable insights into how community attitudes towards dugongs have changed over time. While respondents recalled that dugong hunting was relatively common during the 1980s and 1990s, nearly all communities reported that these practices have largely disappeared following stronger legal protection and increased public awareness.

Loe has witnessed this change firsthand. He recalled that dugongs were once hunted in the area, but today he and other Pokmaswas members actively encourage communities to protect dugongs, marine turtles, and other protected species. For him, conserving marine ecosystems is inseparable from protecting local livelihoods.

"Protecting the sea is essential for future generations. Our livelihoods and prosperity come from the sea."

Despite this progress, the survey documented ongoing pressures on coastal ecosystems, including occasional consumption of sea turtles and turtle eggs, isolated cases of dugong consumption involving stranded or accidentally caught animals, and reports of destructive fishing practices in several locations.

Together, these findings show that local ecological knowledge can inform not only species distribution, but also the cultural and social dimensions needed for effective conservation planning.

The Local Knowledge Survey marks the beginning of a broader scientific effort under the DSCI. Information gathered through community interviews will guide ecological surveys, habitat mapping, participatory monitoring, and genetic connectivity research across the ATS.

Equally important, the initiative has strengthened the capacity of researchers, government agencies, universities, and Fisheries Extension Officers to continue this work into the future. By combining scientific methods with local ecological knowledge, the ATSEA Program and its partners are building a stronger foundation for the long-term conservation of dugongs and seagrass ecosystems in the ATS region.

Words by Ismail Syakurachman, ATSEA, and Casandra Tania, ATSEA.

Thumbnail photo by Lee SH on Unsplash

The Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) Program is a long-term regional initiative that unites the governments of Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste to sustainably manage the shared resources of the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS). Guided by the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) 2024–2033, ATSEA promotes regional collaboration to address transboundary challenges such as marine plastic and ghost gear; oil spills; Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the decline of endangered species and critical habitats.

Since its beginnings in 2003 and through two project phases (ATSEA-1 and ATSEA-2), the Program has evolved into a regional governance mechanism endorsed by ATS countries under the 2024 Sydney Declaration. Today, the ATSEA Program strengthens ocean governance, advances ecosystem-based management, and supports inclusive policies that secure biodiversity, fisheries, and livelihoods for millions of coastal people across the ATS region. Under the generous support of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Waters (DCCEEW) of the Government, ATSEA is currently addressing the issue of Abundance, Loss, and otherwise Discarded Fishing Gears (ALDFG), including collaborating with key local stakeholders and the private sector to roll out a circular economy at the site level.

For more information on the ATSEA Program, please contact the Interim Executive Director, Dr Handoko Adi Susanto (hasusanto@pemsea.org), visit the project page on iwlearn.net, or the project website.