WHAT IS SEA CUCUMBER?

 Sea cucumber is an important constituent of the marine ecosystem as they play an important role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem. It has no limbs or eyes or blood. There are some 1,250 known species , and many of these animals are shaped like soft bodied cucumbers. Sea cucumbers are in high demand in China and South East Asia , where they are consumed as food and used in medicine .This endangered species is primarily smuggled from  Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka.

                                             https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber

Utility

• By extracting inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, they enhance the productivity of benth animals -those living in the ocean floor.
• Role in coral reef preservation ; one of the by - products of sea cucumber's digestion of sand is calcium carbonate , a key component of coral reef.
• To survive coral reefs must accumulate calcium carbonate , and thus sea cucumbers play a vital role in their preservation
• Also contains high levels of chemical called fucosylated glycosaminoglycan in their skin , which people across Asia have been using to treat joint problems like arthritis for centuries.
• In Europe , people  are using it to treat certain cancers and to reduce blood clots.

Protection

• Protected under Schedule Ⅰ under the Wild Life Protection Act (WPA), 1972 so their trade is banned.
• The ministry of Environment , Forests and climate change imposed a total ban on harvesting and transporting sea cucumbers in 2001.
• First Conservation area:  Lakshadweep has created the world's first conservation area for sea cucumbers. Other than sea around Lakshadweep Andaman Nicobar Islands , the Gulf of Mannar at the confluence of the Indian ocean and Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu is also home to sea cucumbers.