Dugong
Dugong dugon
- Scientific name
- Dugong dugon
- Group
- Marine mammals
- Rarity
- Epic
- Where to see it
- Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Vulnerable
Did you know?
The dugong spends up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrass meadows, earning it the nickname "sea cow." Unlike the manatee, it has a crescent-shaped tail similar to a whale's.
What defines this group — Marine mammals
Warm-blooded, they nurse their young and breathe air — the group closest to us underwater.
- They breathe through a blowhole (whales, dolphins) or nostrils (seals, sea lions).
- A thick layer of blubber, rather than fur, insulates them from the cold.
- Many navigate and hunt by sound, using echolocation.