Site of the Week
Sirenian International http://www.sirenian.org
When intrepid explorers first discovered manatees and dugongs, with their curvaceous shape and fish-like tails, they thought they’d found real-life examples of mermaids or sirens from ancient legends. The naming of the group ‘Sirenia’ was kept - despite the fact that, on closer inspection, the alleged mythical creatures were found to be less enchantingly attractive than expected. Over the following centuries, sailors and hunters killed and consumed large numbers of these giant mammals, leading to the extinction of one species, the stellar sea cow, in 1768.
Nowadays, the order sirenia consists of four species, all of which are endangered to a greater or lesser extent - and you can find out about them and the threats which face them at this vast and comprehensive site. The ‘What are Sirenians?’ section explains the basics of their background and biology, while other sections concentrate more on the conservation efforts of groups like Sirenian International. Perhaps the most useful section of the site, from a general interest point-of-view, is the smallest link on the homepage: at the bottom right you’ll notice ‘Call of the Siren’ http://www.sirenian.org/caryn.html which is an enormous site in it’s own right. Gathering together links to news and information on dugong and manatee biology, research and conservation, as well as a good collection of photo galleries by a number of photographers, this page should provide those with a thirst for sirenian knowledge with everything they need and more besides. (And if you don’t know what a manatee or a dugong is or what they look like, and so don’t know whether or not you have a thirst for knowledge about them: now’s your chance to find out that you do.)
Richard Northover
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