Under the auspices of a foundation co-ordinating zoos across the globe, these seek to breedanimals in captivity and reintroduce them (and their much-needed genes) into the wild.
The herders' response was to fall back on small, uneconomic networks of family or friends, to breed ever more animals with less regard to their quality (numbers rose to a record 34m in 1999), and to move closer to towns.
Prince Philip is said to be a fan of the sturdy breed with two of his animals, a gift from the Shah of Iran, having a fundamental place in the breeding programme.
They often maintain a site and are available only to educate interested parties about their beloved breed and will refer you to a legitimate breeder, as they often do not themselves have available animals.
They act as grazers on the ocean floor (manatees are the only other animals that do this), helping keep a balance under the sea for other creatures to live and breed.