THE DUGONG DUGONG DUGON IS AN AQUATIC HERBIVOROUS MAMMAL FOUND IN COASTAL WATERS OF THE TROPICS AND SUBTROPICS PALAU S DISTINCT POPULATION OF DUGONGS, KNOWN AS MESEKIU, IS CULTURALLY ICONIC WITH A SUBSTANTIAL, BUT RELATIVELY UNDOCUMENTED HISTORY REGARDING ITS HUNTING AND VALUE IN THE TRADITIONAL SOCIAL HIERARCHY PALAU S DUGONG POPULATION IS THE ONLY POPULATION IN MICRONESIA AND LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT ITS FEEDING HABITS AND MOVEMENTS THE LACK OF INFORMATION ON SOCIAL VALUE AND ITS NATURAL HISTORY MAKES THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE PROTECTION POLICIES DIFFICULT THIS PROJECT WILL INTEGRATE INTERVIEWS WITH ELDERS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND MONITORING TO INFORM THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS FOR DUGONGS WE PROPOSE TO ENGAGE WITH ELDERS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO 1 BETTER UNDERSTAND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIES, RANGE AND HABITS, 2 REVEAL PERCEPTIONS OF THREATS, 3 UNDERSTAND DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL PERCEPTIONS BY AGE GROUP, 4 IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE SPECIES PROTECTION AND 5 INTEGRATE THIS INFORMATION INTO THE EBIIL S YOUTH RESEARCH PROGRAM IN ADDITION, BASELINE SURVEYS TO DETERMINE NUMBER, INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED BY MARKINGS ON SKIN AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF FORAGING GROUPS THE FWS WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DUGONG AEIRAL SURVEYS AND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING WITHIN KNOWN FEEDING GROUNDS