Four more countries have joined 21 signatories to an international pact to protect the dugong, the mysterious marine mammal that used to be a constant presence along coastlines around the world, including in the Philippines, but are now disappearing. Bangladesh, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan have signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range, or "Dugong MOU", a conservation agency said. On Feb. 19 and 20, the Philippines played hosts to the Second Signatory State Meeting for the Dugong MOU, which took effect in 2007 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme's Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS).

Yap, D. (2013, February 24). At Ph meet, more nations sign up to protect dugong. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.