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- Dugongs are herbivores and feed mainly on sea grasses. They have a large, flat tail that they use for swimming and a small head with no visible ears.
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Their ears, which lack pinnae, are located on the sides of their head. The nostrils are located on top of the head and can be closed using valves. [18] Dugongs have two teats, one located behind each flipper. [19] There are few differences between the sexes; the body structures are almost the same. [20]
May 4, 2022 · How big do dugongs get and how long do they live for? Dugongs are the largest herbivorous marine mammals in the world. They can reach lengths of up to 3.3 m and weigh up to 500 kg.
Living in shallow waters that are often well illuminated, dugongs do not depend greatly on their eyes. Rather, they have been found to communicate using sounds of varying amplitudes and frequencies. These include chirps, barks, and whistles.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
- Dugong Species. There are 4 species in the dugong family, 3 out of the 4 are manatees and only 1 is dugong: “Dugong dungon”, which is the species we have here in North Sulawesi.
- Appearance. Dugongs are often referred to as “sea cows” due to their heavy, solid looking bodies. They are a greyish brown color and range in length from 2.4 meters up to 4 meters and adults weigh from between 230 – 400 kilograms.
- Behavior. Dugongs are a social species and found in groups which can vary in size from just 2 to 200 individuals. Pairs of dugongs found together are often mother and calf pairs.
- Feeding. Dugongs are the only completely herbivorous marine mammal on the planet and their diet consists entirely of sea grass. They use their upper lips to uproot the entire sea grass plant rather than eating only the leaves – this leads to dugong “trails” which are like sandy pathways through sea grass beds.
- 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 · Dugongs range in length from about 2.2 to 3.4 metres (7 to 11 feet) and weigh 230 to 420 kg (500 to 925 pounds). As with whales and dolphins, the dugong has a tapered body that ends in a deeply notched tail, or fluke. The forelimbs are rounded flippers lacking nails; there are no hind limbs nor any discernible neck.
Basic facts about Dugong: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.