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Dugongs and manatees may look similar, but they're separate species. One easy way to tell the difference is to check their tails — manatees have round, paddl...
- 1 min
- 9.5K
- Oceana
Have you ever wondered how to tell the difference between a dugong and a manatee? While these gentle marine giants may look similar, they each have unique fe...
- 11 min
- 139
- The Story of Animals
Dugongs vs. Manatees: Know the Difference | Dugongs are constantly being called manatees — and they’re sick of it! Dugongs and manatees are two different spe...
- 59 sec
- 19.9K
- Azula
- Dugong vs Manatee Tails
- Snouts
- Teeth
- Nails
- Dugong vs Manatee Habitats
- Diet and Feeding
- Conservation of Dugongs and Manatees
- How Can You Help?
One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a manatee and dugong is by looking at their tails. Dugong tails are similar to dolphin, or even mermaid, tails. Two tail lobes are joined at the centre and stick out on either side. This is known as a flukedtail. In contrast, manatee tails lack a fork. Instead, they’re paddle-like and are often...
If you’re ever lucky enough to come face-to-face with a dugong or manatee in the water, make sure you get a good look at its snout. A wide snout which droops down towards the seabed (like an elephant’s trunk) means you’re looking at a dugong. If it’s short and bulbous, with a divided upper lip, you’re looking at a manatee. The shape of manatee lips...
Another key difference between manatee and dugong is their teeth. They can be tricky to spot, but many dugongs have a pair of ‘tusks’ at the front of their mouths. The tusks are also referred to as overgrown upper incisors. Alongside their long trunks, the tusks add to the ‘elephant-like’ appearance of dugongs. The tusks are typically found in post...
Both manatees and dugongs use their flippers to steer themselves in certain directions. But, if you spot nails on the end of a flipper, you’re looking at a manatee. Manatees are distant relatives of elephants, hyrax and aardvarks, all of which have nails. It’s thought that manatees once roamed the land alongside their relatives. On land, their nail...
Behavioural patterns can also help you tell the difference between a manatee vs dugong, including where they live. Dugong are found exclusively in shallow coastal waters. You’ll typically find them sheltering from strong currents in bays, mangrove forests and harbours. They’re found across the Indo-Pacific region, which spans East Africa to Austral...
Dugongs and manatees are both predominantly herbivores. Despite this, their diets and feeding habits differ slightly. Dugongs are what is known as bottom-feeders. As the name suggests, dugongs eat from the the sea floor. Their long trunks rip up plants, roots and all, which they ingest through their mouths. Seagrassis by far their main source of fo...
Both dugongs and manatees belong to the taxonomic order of Sirenia. But did you know that this order used to have another member? Steller’s sea cows were part of the Dugongidaefamily, alongside modern-day dugongs. They were much larger than their relatives, reaching astounding sizes of up to 9m (30 feet). Sadly, this species suffered heavily at the...
But it’s not all doom and gloom – there are plenty of charities out there working hard to protect existing dugong and manatee populations. Don’t forget, you can do your bit to help too – whether you live on the coast or not: 1. East less fish.Less demand for fish means less fishing, which means less discarded fishing gear. 2. Consider eco-friendly ...
May 27, 2019 · Here are three easy ways to tell the difference between a manatee and a dugong. #1 Mouth shape – Dugongs have a longer, trunk-like snout and agile upper lip used to munch on seagrass. If you see a photo or a video of an animal snuffling around on the bottom and hoovering up lunch, it’s probably a dugong. Manatees have a shorter snout and ...
Sep 29, 2021 · Dugongs and Manatees: Size. One of the most noticeable differences between a dugong vs manatee is their respective size. On average, manatees grow longer and heavier than dugongs, although individual dugongs can grow bigger than most manatees. The average length of a dugong is around 9.8 feet, although wild specimens can reach up to 13.32 feet.
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manatee. Dugongs are smaller and even slimmer than manatees, while manatees tend to have a rounder, chunkier appearance. Dugongs have a downturned, longer snout than manatees have, while manatees have no incisors or molars and instead simply have cheek teeth. Another obvious difference is the tail shape. As mammals, manatees and dugongs both ...
