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Unlike in manatees, the dugong's teeth do not continually grow back via horizontal tooth replacement. [26] The dugong has two incisors which emerge in males during puberty. The female's tusks continue to grow without emerging during puberty, sometimes erupting later in life after reaching the base of the premaxilla. [19]
- 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!
Interestingly, you can estimate a dugong’s age by the number of rings that they have on their tusks, just like a tree! 5. Their brains make up less than 1% of their body weight. With few natural predators and simple foraging strategies that require little coordination, Dugong’s have extremely small brains that weigh approximately 300 grams. 6.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
12. Dugongs can live on their own; however, they also live in larger groups or pairs. 13.They’re not the fastest swimmers compared with different sea mammals. 14. Male dugongs develop tusks around puberty, which occurs between the age of 12 and 15. Female dugongs do not have visible tusks. 15. They have extremely dense and heavy bones.
May 7, 2015 · Mature males have tusks. Dugongs lack dorsal fins and hind limbs. Dugongs are notoriously shy and do not approach humans, which makes getting data on these elusive animals difficult. The closest relative of the Dugong, Stellar’s sea cow, was hunted to extinction within 27 years of it discovery in the 18th century. Dugong Facts: How Big is a ...
- Dugongs are closely related to manatees, and are commonly known as ‘sea cows’ due to their peaceful grazing nature.Dugongs have dull grey, torpedo-...
- Dugongs can be as big as 10 feet (3 meters) long and can weigh a whopping 1000 pounds (499 kilograms)! Baby Dugongs can be up to 4 feet (1.2 meters...
- Although commercial hunting of Dugongs has been banned, Dugongs are still listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss through coa...
- Join the FREE Active Wild Newsletter List. A must for all animal fans. Awesome animal facts and information delivered direct to your inbox. It’s ab...
Adult dugongs weigh from 230 to 400 kg and can range from 2.4 to 4 m in length. Their thick skin is brownish-grey, and its color can vary when algae grows on it. Tusks are present in all dugongs, but they are usually only visible through the skin in mature males, whose tusks are prominent, and in old females.
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Feb 17, 2023 · They are nicknamed the sea cows. Dugongs are herbivores that mainly feed on seagrass. This has earned them the nickname sea cow. 5. Males have tusks. Male dugongs (and older females) grow two tusks in their upper jaw. These tusks are actually elongated incisor teeth that continue to grow throughout the dugong’s life.
