A tribute to the Year of the Dugong has been unveiled by the Vice President of Palau, Kerai Mariur, in Samoa.
The Samoa Observer reports the carving of a dugong was gifted to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme by the Palau Government.
Palau was declared as the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009.
This was further strengthened in 2010 through extending the protection to all marine mammals including dugongs.
