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worldwildlife.org
- As semi-nomadic animals, dugongs may either travel huge distances in search of specific seagrass or live in the same area throughout their lives. They usually have to travel when their main food, seagrass, is in scarcity. When suitable seagrass is depleted, they move on, looking for new areas of feeding.
The current global population of dugongs is in decline due to human interactions with the species. The dugong’s closest modern relative, Stellar’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century, and without proper protections, dugongs could face the same fate.
Despite being legally protected in many countries, the main causes of population decline remain anthropogenic and include fishing-related fatalities, habitat degradation, and hunting. With its long lifespan of 70 years or more and slow rate of reproduction, the dugong is especially vulnerable to extinction.
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.
Some dugong packs undertake a migration throughout the winter. They will either move to warm bays or canals or to the Northern countries in their range near the equator. They will also migrate in large groups if the sea grass in the area lacks essential nutrients.
Dugongs are herbivores, feeding exclusively on seagrasses, cropping the leaves and roots by using their broad muzzle to move the food into the mouth. Dugongs tend to occur in groups or herds and their movement over an area can be followed by the sand plume disturbances to the sea floor.
Why are dugongs vulnerable to extinction? Despite being able to travel long distances, dugong populations are considered to be declining across their range. It is estimated that populations have suffered a global decline of approximately 20% over the last century, largely due to human activities.
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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.
