The dugong, a plant eating sea mammal found mainly in Australia, perfectly illustrates the problems conservationists encounter when dealing with native peoples. The Australian government has been able to create laws to protect this endangered species; however, they cannot protect the dugong from hunting by the Aborginal and Torres Straight Islanders. To protect this species, the Australian government will have to work together with these people to come to a compromise on how they can live in harmony with their natural world.

Unfortunately, very little is actually known about the dugong and its habits. Scientists do know that this mammal can live up to 70 years in the wild, but does not reach sexual maturity until it is between the ages of 10-17 years. When the dugong does mate, they only give birth to one baby at a time and the female dugong will not mate again after having one child for another three to five years. After a 13 month pregnancy, the dugong mother will nurse the baby for about one and a half to two years or until it is old enough to survive on its own. Currently scientists are looking for ways to produce more dugongs more quickly than every three to five years, but since they have little luck with this, they have focused more on conservation of the dugong's habitat.

The dugong can be found in the warm, shallow coastal waters of the Indian and South Pacific oceans from eastern Africa to northern Australia, and into Papua New Guinea. According to aerial surveys conducted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the highest concentrations of dugongs were found in Shoalwater Bay, the Great Barrier Reef, Cardwell-Hinchinbrook, Cleveland Bay, and Upstart Bay. Currently, the Australian government has set up 16 dugong protection areas in these primary habitats. With the protection of these habitats, the dugongs will be safe from the threat of hunters and the sea grass that they feed on will also be in abundant supply.

Another problem conservationists were able to fix were the deaths of dugongs due to the netting used in shark fishing. The dugong can only hold its breath for a maximum of eight minutes, and if they get caught in these meshes used to catch sharks, they die by drowning. Scientists have found that shark nets have been responsible for 541 dugong deaths since the 1960's. In 1998, mesh netting was banned and restricted in dugong sanctuaries. Fishery management plans are being developed by the Queensland Fisheries Management Authority and will include measures to protect the dugong population. Also, there is an Endangered Species Awareness course that is required for all commercial fishers to take who wish to fish in the Queensland area. So far, over 300 fishermen have completed this course.

At the moment, conservationists have managed to stabilize the dugong population by protecting their habitat and banning the use of shark meshes; however, the dugong still faces threats from hunters. In most cases, governments will outlaw hunting of endangered species, but in this case, the hunting of dugongs are a part of Aboriginal traditions and rituals. The Australian government, not wanting to interfere with the Aboriginal culture, has not banned the hunting of this species, but has placed rules and regulations about how they can hunt them and where. Traditionally, dugongs were harpooned from canoes with a barbed harpoon attached to a rope and the dugong was held by its tail in the water until it drowned. Today, the Aborigines use more humane methods of capturing these mammals and are only allowed to hunt them in areas where the government has concluded that the population is in no danger of becoming endangered or extinct.

Despite the hundreds of dugong deaths resulting from fishing accidents, loss of habitat, and hunting, steps are finally being taken to stabilize the population. The protection of key dugong habitat and the ban of shark nets have helped; however, more laws must be put into effect if the hunting of these creatures is still going to be permitted.