A survey by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Tamil Nadu's Forest Department counted 270 dugongs along the state's coast. There are 158 dugongs in Palk Bay and 112 in the Gulf of Mannar. Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, said, “The findings indicate that the dugong population in Tamil Nadu is stable and doing well.” She added that Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar now hold the largest viable dugong population in India. This success is credited to the Dugong Recovery Programme by WII and the Forest Department’s conservation work, including community involvement to protect the animals. The presence of mother and calf pairs confirms active breeding. The government has notified a Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, covering 448 sq.km, marking a major step for long-term protection. The survey used drones (UAV) following standard methods. Dr. J. A. Johnson, lead scientist at WII, stated, “The survey has established a benchmark and will be scaled up in future for regular monitoring.” This is the first systematic drone-based count in the region, applying internationally accepted techniques. Earlier estimates in 2012-13 showed about 175 dugongs based on interviews. The current aerial survey confirms the population is doing well. Researchers surveyed 48 locations with 96 aerial transects over 37.44 sq.km and flew 288 km in total. Nine dugongs were sighted during this effort. Some limitations remain due to drone flight time and difficulty detecting dugongs in deeper waters. Still, the updated count gives a reliable, hopeful outlook for Tamil Nadu’s dugongs.