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Dugongs are primarily herbivorous, grazing on up to 30kg of seagrass a day. They eat both day and night, locating their food with the help of coarse, sensitive bristles on their upper lip. These large creatures are found in warm water around coastlines, both north and south of the equator. They inhabit both freshwater and brackish water, where ...
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The dugong (/ ˈ d (j) uː ɡ ɒ ŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal.It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century.
Jul 21, 2018 · In the pacific island nation of Palau, where a 3,000-year-old cave drawing of dugongs was found, legends of young women transforming into sea creatures have been passed down over the years; the word dugong, in fact, derives from Malay for ‘lady of the sea’.
Feb 27, 2024 · When it comes to size, Dugongs are the ocean’s answer to a mid-sized SUV. They can stretch up to about 3 meters (that’s nearly 10 feet for the metrically challenged) and tip the scales at a hefty 600 kilograms (over 1300 pounds). Basically, if a Dugong were to crash your pool party, it’d definitely make a splash.
- Dugongs Are Also called Sea Cows
- They Are Closely Related to Elephants
- You Can Guess A Dugong’S Age by Looking at The Rings on Its Tusks
- Dugongs Can Live For A Very Long Time
- Dugongs only Live in Salt Water
- They Have Smooth Yet Hairy Skin
- They Can’T See Well — But Their Hearing Is Superb
- Dugongs Can Stand on Their Tails
- Legends of Mermaids Might Have Originated from Dugongs
- Dugongs Are in Danger of Extinction
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 the only herbivorous marine mammalsin the world, and seagrass makes up most of their diet. Dugongs spend both night and day grazing on a ...
There were once other Dugongidae species like dugongs in the oceans, like the Steller’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). Sadly, the Steller’s sea cow became extinctin the 18th century due to hunting by humans — so dugongs are now the last surviving member of the family Dugongidae. Dugongs are also one of four species that belong to the order Sirenian ...
The tusks of a dugong are actually just two elongated front teeth. These stick out from their mouths and have sharp, angled edges. But not all dugongs have these magnificent tusks — only mature males and some older females are lucky enough to grow a pair of these tremendous teeth. Not only do some dugongs sport impressive tusks — their tusks also c...
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! However, it does take a long time for a dugong to get that big. Depending on where they live, some dugongs are not fully grown until they ar...
Unlike their manatee cousins who often live in both fresh water and salt water, dugongs only live in saltwater habitats. These gentle giants glide through the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The largest dugong population is in Australia. Dugongs primarily eat seagrass, which restricts where they can live. They typically li...
When baby dugongs are born, their skin is a light cream color. As they grow older, their skin becomes a darker slate-gray color, and their bellies have a lighter gray hue. Some dugongs may have a slightly different coloration as well if they have algae growing on their skin. Dugong skin is sleek and smooth, but they actually do have hair too! Their...
A dugong has pretty small eyes. Because of this, they can’t see very well — so they use their excellent sense of touch and superb hearing instead. When they communicate with one another, dugongs use a combination of different sounds as well as physical touch. They use sounds like barks, whistles, and chirps, which all echo underwater. Different sou...
Even though dugongs live in the ocean, they are mammals and need to return to the surface regularly to breathe. Dugongs can hold their breath for about six minutes at a time. While they often spend their time in shallower waters, they can also dive down almost 100 feet into the ocean! Their nostrils are on top of their snouts, so they can pop their...
The way that dugongs gracefully lift their heads out of the ocean’s waters is not unlike ancient descriptions of sirens and merfolk in mythology. Many historians believe that these enchanting marine mammals may have inspired many of the ancient mermaid legends. In fact, “dugong” comes from the Malay language and means “lady of the sea”. In fact, ma...
Adult dugongs don’t have many natural predators, but baby dugongs are often hunted by killer whales, crocodiles, and sharks. However, due to human activities, dugongs are now in danger of going extinct (much like their now-extinct cousins, the Stellar’s sea cow). In fact, while dugongs once peacefully lived in the ocean waters of southern China, th...
Diet. Herbivore, feeding exclusively on seagrasses. Average lifespan. Up to 70 years in the wild. Size. 3 metres. The dugong is one of the ocean’s most interesting inhabitants. More closely related to the elephant than the dolphin or whale, this gentle seagrass-munching mammal is often given the name ‘sea cow’ and rightly so. Grazing day ...
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Mar 20, 2019 · One woman in the Solomon Islands remembers as a girl that a stranded dugong was killed and shared with the whole village. She was definitely not from the Kidipale tribe. “Only when a dugong is injured do people have the access to kill it and eat it because that’s when it comes ashore,” she explained.
