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Evolution. Dugongs are part of the Sirenia order of placental mammals which comprises modern "sea cows" (manatees as well as dugongs) and their extinct relatives. Sirenia are the only extant herbivorous marine mammals and the only group of herbivorous mammals to have become completely aquatic.
Dugongs are herbivores (graminivores) and primarily feed on seagrass. They will occasionally eat invertebrates such as jellyfish, sea squirts, and shellfish. Populations in Moreton Bay, Australia, feed on invertebrates such as polychaetes or marine algae.
The dugong is a herbivorous marine mammal sometimes referred to as a ‘sea cow’, and one of four living species that belongs to the order Sirenia. They graze on underwater grasses and have an adorable, plump appearance, with a dolphin tail, round head and downward snout.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
The dugong, like all sea cows, is herbivorous. It primarily grazes on sea grasses and therefore spends most of its time in sea grass beds. Unlike the closely related manatees, the dugong never enters freshwater and is therefore the only exclusively marine mammal that is herbivorous.
May 4, 2022 · Dugongs are herbivores, relying on seagrasses as a primary food source. In order to access this food, dugongs use their constantly growing and evolving teeth to rake up grasses from the seafloor. While most other herbivorous animals graze on land or from trees, dugongs have adapted to feed in a unique way that is specific to their environment.
Since dugongs are herbivores, their diet consists exclusively of seagrass. They are often referred to as “sea cows” because of their grazing habit below the waves. Dugongs live in very shallow, temperate water where seagrass flourishes, and they need to eat plenty of it to stay healthy.
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Dugongs spend much of their time alone or in pairs, though they are sometimes seen gathered in large herds of a hundred animals. Reproduction and Conservation