Guide to a "Save-Dugong" mailing list
(English ver. :since April 21, 1998.April 3, 2002　Go to Japanese ver.）

The photo:The photo is reproduced from the Yomiuri On-Line on January 13, 1998. Japan's first photo of a dugong was taken aroud 8:30 a.m. January 13, 1998 off "Henoko", near the eastern coast of Nago city, the main Okinawa island. It was taken from a videotape shot by Toshihiro Uehara, a camera crew member of Nippon TV'Naha Bureau. RYUKYU SHIMPO January 14, 1998(You can see the same dugong and read Japanese article)

1The objective:

• To exchange information and news about preserving dugongs and their environment. Dugongs live in the coastal waters of the Ryukyu Islands(the South West Islands), located in the Pacific at the southern end of Japan.
• In particular, how to appeal to preserve Dugongs and their habitat off the eastern coast of Okinawa Island, the main Okinawa island, which lies in the center of the South West Islands.
  

2 The background:

• In Okinawa, there is "Dugongs Network OKINAWA(DON)"("Love Dugongs Network" was changed into "Dugongs Network OKINAWA" on June 27, 1999), a group which acts to protect dugongs and their ecological environment. The group started its activities in November 1997(Please refer to an article: "Protection moves for dugong" of RYUKYU SHIMPO on Dec. 8, 1997).
  Japan and The United States government are planning to construct a U.S. Marine Corps sea-based air station off the eastern coast of the city of Nago, where seagrass is growing, in the northern Okinawa Island, as a tradeoff for the Air Station at Futenma, Ginowan city.
  The Dugongs Network OKINAWA is against a sea-based air station, because such a facility would damage the dugong's habitat.
• This "Save-Dugong" mailing list began on December 17, 1997. On Dec.21, 5 days later, the people of Nago cast ballots in a referendum on whether or not to allow the sea-based air station.
  Although the majority of voters were against the offshore air facility project in the referendum, neither Japan nor the United States government have abandaned the project.
• For more information about DON,
  please write to Secretary of DNO: TSUCHIDA Takenobu
  
  
  c/o Marine GAL Pro Dive
  3-9 Oyama 5-chome
  Ginowan City, Okinawa
  〒901-2223 Japan
  
  
  E-mail is also welcome. Please send to m-gal@nirai.ne.jp or tsuchida@okinawa-u.ac.jp

Public Statements, Opinions and Data by DNO

Let Us Save The Northern-most Dugongs Of Okinawa From Extinction(July 22, 2000. The 2nd day of the Okinawa Summit) | Refer to Virunga News: "Japanese Groups Call to Save the Northern-Most Dugongs of Okinawa" Immediate Conservation Measures Needed for the Northernmost Okinawa Dugongs (Reported in OKINAW's "International Environmental NGO Forum 2000" on July 15, 2000) Appeal for the Protection of the Dugongs in Okinawa(January 27,2000) An urgent report of a Baby Dugong（Carcass, Bay of Kin, OKINAWA. Japanese only) caught by gillnet, Nov. 13, 1998 A message for Survey and Preservation for dugongs from Love Dugongs Network(December 1, 1997) Album of Save Dugongs | Pictures of dugongs | Stranding Data

3 Links:

4 Members of the "Save-Dugong" mailing list:

• People who are interested in whales, manatees and mammals which live in the sea;
• Peaple who are interested in coral;
• Divers;
• Fishermen;
• Environmentalists;
• and Members of the Dugongs Network OKINAWA.
• They are e.g.
  TANAHARA Seisyuu(a diver and underwater photographer in the city of Ginowan, Okinawa Island)
  ITO Tetsuo(in Yokohama, mainland Japan)
  HIGA Akiko(in Kyoto, mainland Japan)
  HIGA Hiroshi(a high school teacher in the city of Okinawa, Okinawa Island)
  TSUCHIDA Takenobu(a college teacher in the city of Naha, Okinawa Island and the administrator of this mailing list)
  There are currently 123 members.(as of July 16, 2001)
• Although mailings are usually in Japanese, there is information available in English too.

5 How to subscribe:

• Please send to the address "Save-Dugong-admin@okinawa-u.ac.jp"(without quotes) a message containing your e-mail address.
• A wish of the administrator of this mailing list: After your submission, please send again to the Save-Dugong mailing list members, "Save-Dugong@okinawa-u.ac.jp"(without quotes) a message containing your self-introduction.
• It's the address of this ML.

Go to Dugongs Network OKINAWA's URL(Japanese only)
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