Gulf of Mannar seagrass preservation: acoustic tagging of Dugong dugon feeding corridors?

Dugongs along the northwestern maritime border survive in fragmented, shallow seagrass meadows dominated by Halodule uninervis and Cymodocea serrulata. Traditional motor vessel surveys disturb these shy sirenians and risk propeller strikes across shallow sandbanks. Modern field research uses passive acoustic monitoring hydrophones anchored across navigation channels to detect characteristic dugong feeding chirps and social trills. Aerial drone surveys flown at 60 meters AGL during high-noon calm periods track benthic feeding trails (bare zig-zag troughs cleared through seagrass beds) without generating water acoustic distress.