The Dr KK Mohammed Koya Sea Cucumber Conservation Reserve is the first

sea cucumber Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothuria ...

conservation area in the world, announced following reports of smuggling of sea cucumbers and other vulnerable species for trade in East Asia. It is located in the Cheriyapani Reef in the Indian Union Territory of

Lakshadweep Lakshadweep (), also known as Laccadives (), is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands in the Arabian sea, located off the Malabar Coast. The name ''Lakshadweep'' means "one lakh islands" in Sanskrit, though the Lac ...

. It was formed in 2020 and covers an area of 239 km². Together with the Attakoya Thangal Marine Conservation Reserve (344 km²) and the

PM Sayeed Marine Birds Conservation reserve PM Sayeed Marine Birds Conservation Reserve is the first protected area for marine birds in India. It is located in the Indian Union Territory of Lakshadweep. It was formed in 2020. It covers an area of 62 km2. The PM Sayeed Marine Birds Conservati ...

(62 km²), it forms a marine protected area (MPA) of 685 km². In India, the sea cucumber is protected under the Schedule I of the

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. Before 1972, India had only five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act established scheduled pr ...

, according to which the sea cucumbers cannot be transported for commercial use. In 2002, the Environmental ministry of India banned the commercial harvesting of sea cucumbers.

References

Protected areas of India Tourism in Lakshadweep Nature conservation in India Wildlife conservation in India Biodiversity Holothuroidea 2020 establishments in Lakshadweep {{Holothuroidea-stub

See also

References