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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.
The dugong is a herbivorous marine mammal sometimes referred to as a ‘sea cow’, and one of four living species that belongs to the order Sirenia. They graze on underwater grasses and have an adorable, plump appearance, with a dolphin tail, round head and downward snout.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
Dugongs are cousins of manatees and share a similar plump appearance, but have a dolphin fluke-like tail. And unlike manatees, which use freshwater areas, the dugong is strictly a marine mammal. Commonly known as "sea cows," dugongs graze peacefully on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
May 7, 2015 · Dugongs are closely related to manatees, and are commonly known as ‘sea cows’ due to their peaceful grazing nature. Dugongs have dull grey, torpedo-shaped bodies with paddle-like forelimbs, and a fluked tail like a dolphin. Mature males have tusks. Dugongs lack dorsal fins and hind limbs.
- 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...
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6 days ago · dugong, (Dugong dugon), marine mammal that inhabits the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, feeds on seagrasses, and is similar to the manatee.
Dugongs (Dugong dugon), also known as sea cows, have a broad but fragmented range, encompassing tropical waters from East Africa to Vanuatu, about 26 degrees both north and south of the equator. This range spans at least 48 countries and about 140,000 km of tropical coastline.
