Fast Facts: Dugong

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Mermaids & Manatees Part II

The Dugong: Dugong dugon

Description: Although Dugongs have similar appearances with manatees, these are two entirely different species. Both species have similar gray-brown colorations, however, the Dugong's body is more torpedo-shaped. An easily distinguishable aspect of this species is its flat, shovel-like snout. These downturned snouts assist in foraging for seagrass, the Dugong's main food source. Dugongs are also smaller; they can reach up to nine feet in length and one ton in weight. Lacking dorsal fins, the Dugong instead utilizes flippers and its forked tail to maneuver through the water. 

Habitat: These creatures are distributed all over the world, although most of their range is concentrated near the tropical coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans near the equator. A majority of the Dugong population lives near Australia, and all Dugongs typically live areas with seagrass beds. 

Diet: Dugongs feed exclusively on seagrass, giving their nickname 'sea cow'. They will occasionally feed on other invertebrates, such as jellyfish and shellfish. 

Behavior: While some sources and areas include the Dugong as a solitary creature, for the most part, this species can be quite social and may come together into large groups during certain parts of the year. Such gatherings typically take place during mating season. However, most gatherings are short-term as there isn't enough sea grass in one area to support hundreds of Dugongs for more than a short period of time. Those who aren't solitary may form pairs; the most common pair being a mother Dugong and her calf. 

Females will raise their calves for up to 18 months. This means there is a long time in between a female's reproductive cycles, which is one aspect to why the Dugong's population is difficult to maintain and replace. 

Conservation Status: This rare species is listed as Vulnerable to Extinction by the ICUN. As the only known herbivorous marine mammal in the world, this species has already gone functionally extinct in the coastal waters of China. Human impact, including poaching and use of fishing nets, and habitat loss have caused a severe drop in the Dugong's numbers. 

Unique Traits: Although Dugongs spend much of their time in the water foraging, Dugongs, like all mammals, can't breathe underwater and need to come up for air. They can remain underwater for about six minutes at a time despite the fact that they spend both day and night underwater. Dugongs forage for sea grass by using their snouts, which have sensitive bristles that can sense the sea grass. They can even be seen 'standing' on their tails to allow their heads to rise above water. 

Like the manatee, the origins of mermaid folklore are believed to have inspired by the Dugong. However, unlike the manatee, the Dugong has a fluked tail similar to a whale's. This feature further emphasizes the mermaid and Dugong association. 



https://www.sprep.org/news/dugong-and-seagrass-conservation-agenda-pacific-island-range-states

https://www.americanoceans.org/species/dugong/

https://oceaninfo.com/compare/dugong-vs-manatee/

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