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Oct 4, 2019 · Dugongs are strict herbivores that feed on seagrass, especially the Hydrocharitaceae and Potamogetonaceae family of seagrasses. They prefer seagrasses that are low in fiber content, high in nitrogen, and easily digestible.
Feb 27, 2024 · By feeding on seagrass, Dugongs help maintain healthy seagrass beds, which in turn supports a diverse marine ecosystem. Deep Breath : Dugongs can hold their breath for up to six minutes while diving but usually surface every three to four minutes to breathe.
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.
Dugongs graze on a variety of seagrass species, preferring those that are higher in nutrient content. Dugongs use their bristled, muscular snouts to dig up seagrasses from the seabed. They can consume large quantities of seagrass daily, often leaving behind feeding trails on the seafloor.
- Mammalia (Mammals)
- Chordata
- Sirenia
Dugongs can remain underwater for 3 to 12 minutes while feeding and travelling. They can eat up to 40 kilograms of seagrasses per day. Dugongs are seagrass community specialists and their range is broadly coincident with the distribution of seagrasses in the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-West Pacific.
Dugongs cannot survive without seagrass beds so if there is a healthy population of dugongs that are breeding regularly it indicates there must be plenty of seagrass for them to eat. Tourists like to see dugongs in the wild so a healthy population is an asset for the tourism industry.
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Jul 14, 2023 · What do dugongs eat? Dugongs are herbivores and primarily feed on seagrass. They graze on dense underwater meadows of seagrass, using their specially adapted lips to rip the grass from the seabed.
