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On December 4, the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Japan and the conservation group for dugong, "Dugong-no-Sato (the home of the Dugong) (Nago-shi, Okinawa)," announced that the name of a dugong sighted around the Oura Bay in Henoko, Nago-shi, where the construction of an offshore U.S. military heliport is to being considered, will be named "Churagong" following a public solicitation.

The name "Churagong" has been selected from among 3,242 suggestions gathered from all around the country. Because "Churagong's" gender is not yet known, they chose a name that would work for both sexes and also one easy to say.

Churagong comes from "Chura," which means purity in Okinawa dialect, and "gong" taken from dugong. Doesn't it sound friendly?

Dugongs eat seaweed that grows on sand beds in the shallow seas, but they are extremely picky eaters, so they can easily become extinct if the seaweed from where they feed disappears. And because they also live only in certain sea temperatures, their habitats are very limited. It is said that the waters around the main island of Okinawa is the northern most boundary of their habitat, but we hope we will be able to see them swim around these shores for a long time.

I was pleased to hear that many people took part in the public solicitation, and it made me think anew how "we need to conserve the beautiful seas for generations to come."

Related URL/media
http://www11.plala.or.jp/sedake-dugong/