The Dugong
The fascinating Dugong is commonly known as the “cow of the sea”, grazing on up to 30 kg of seagrass daily, using their muscular upper lip to dig up plants and creating distinct feeding trails behind them as they roam the sea floor. They are even believed to be the inspiration behind ancient mermaid myths, with the name "dugong" derived from a Malay word for "lady of the sea". Dugongs are found in the shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
The dugong is one of four species of the order Sirenia, a group of marine mammals that are strictly herbivorous. They’re a tropical to subtropical species found in 37 different countries, however, Australian waters are home to one of the largest populations of dugong, with approximately 80,000 - 85,000 calling Australia home.
Dugongs are ordinarily a very shy species and will allow themselves to be observed from a distance but move away if disturbed. When approached patiently and cautiously they have been shown to be quite inquisitive.
Did you know?
Dugongs are most closely related to elephants: Despite living entirely underwater, dugongs are more closely related to elephants than they are to whales or dolphins. Like elephants, mature male dugongs (and some older females) even grow tusks, which are actually their upper incisor teeth.
You can tell their age from their tusks: Just like counting the rings on a tree stump, scientists can estimate a dugong's age by counting the growth rings in their tusks. They are remarkably long-lived, often reaching 70 years or more in the wild.
They can really hold their breath: Dugongs breathe in oxygen from above the surface of the water through their nostrils, a dugong can then hold its breath for up to 11 minutes and dive up to 33 metres deep to feed.
They are louder than you may think: Dugongs communicate using a wide range of vocalisations, including chirps, whistles, barks, and trills that echo underwater (and can sound like farting sounds!)
They are social animals: Dugongs are a social species and found in groups which can vary in size from just 2 to 200 individuals. Pairs of dugongs found together are often mother and calf pairs. Large groups don’t stay together for long as there is rarely enough sea grass to support a big group over a long time scale.