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Dugongs are part of the Sirenia order of placental mammals which comprises modern "sea cows" (manatees as well as dugongs) and their extinct relatives. Sirenia are the only extant herbivorous marine mammals and the only group of herbivorous mammals to have become completely aquatic.
Dugongs are large marine mammals often called sea cows due to their herbivorous diet and slow, gentle nature. They are related to both manatees and—surprisingly—elephants. They live in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, grazing on underwater grasses as their main food source.
- 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!
Sharing a pudgy, plump body shape, the dugong has a dolphin fluke-like tail and lives exclusively in salt water, unlike its fresh-water swimming relative.
- Dugong
- Dugong dugon
- Herbivore, feeding exclusively on seagrasses
- Mammal
Feeding upon seagrass, dugong prefers living in shallow and protected coastal, tropical waters. They generally inhabit salty waters and can tolerate brackish waters but rarely occur in freshwater. Dugongs are social animals but generally occur alone or in pairs of a mother and calf.
Known to graze on sparse seagrass patches, dugongs are often called “sea cows”. They prefer grass that is high in nitrogen content and low in fiber, making it easier to break down. Most graze all day.
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Dugong dugon, also known as the dugong or sea cow, is a fascinating marine mammal found in the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With its unique appearance and gentle nature, the dugong is a beloved member of the world's wildlife community.