Search results
- Despite the enormous physical differences, dugongs and manatees are most closely related to modern-day elephants. They are not related to any marine mammal but are thought to have descended from a primitive land mammal.
a-z-animals.com/animals/dugong/
Sep 8, 2024 · Dugongs are generally found in warm waters around the coast with large numbers concentrated in wide and shallow protected bays. The dugong is the only strictly-marine herbivorous mammal, as all species of manatee utilise fresh water to some degree.
The dugong (/ ˈd (j) uːɡɒŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.
Dugong Profile. 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
A Truly Marine Mammal – Dugongs are the only species in the order Sirenia (dugongs and manatees) that lives in an exclusively marine environment. Manatees are mainly freshwater animals, and spend only short times in the ocean. Dugongs can spend their entire lives at sea.
- Dugongs Are Also Called Sea Cows. Dugongs have very muscular cleft upper lips that stick out over their mouths. These bristled and ultra-sensitive snouts are very strong and allow dugongs to root around the ocean floor and grab seagrass.
- They are Closely Related to Elephants. There were once other Dugongidae species like dugongs in the oceans, like the Steller’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas).
- You Can Guess a Dugong’s Age by Looking at the Rings on Its Tusks. The tusks of a dugong are actually just two elongated front teeth. These stick out from their mouths and have sharp, angled edges.
- Dugongs Can Live for a Very Long Time. When dugong babies are born, they are only around 3 or 4 feet long and weigh 44 to 77 pounds. That may not seem all that small, but a fully grown dugong can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds!
6 days ago · Dugong, marine mammal that inhabits the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, feeds on seagrasses, and is similar to the American manatee.
May 27, 2024 · The dugong is one of the few herbivorous marine mammals still remaining in the world. This species is a familiar sight to any inhabitants or tourists who visit the coastal waters of the world’s tropical regions.
