Dugong
ExploreMammals
Dugong
Dugong
Dugongs are gentle sea creatures that love to munch on sea grass. They are friendly and often called 'sea cows' because of their shape.
Appearance
The Dugong is a large, greyish-brown marine mammal with a smooth, thick skin and a broad, fluke-like tail similar to a dolphin's. It has short, paddle-like front flippers and a unique, downward-pointing snout covered in stiff whiskers.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderSireniaFamilyDugongidaeGenusDugong
Category
MammalsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Baby dugongs, called calves, stay with their mothers for up to two years!
Dugongs are the only marine mammal that eats *only* plants!
Their closest land relatives are elephants and manatees!
They are called 'sea cows' because they graze on underwater grasses!
Special abilities
Ability
Whisker Feeler
Dugong has stiff sensory whiskers that help them find tasty seagrass in murky or dark underwater environments.
Ability
Seagrass Scrubber
Dugong can use their tough, downward-pointing snout to dig up nutritious seagrass roots from the ocean floor.
Ability
Energy Saver
Dugong can glide efficiently through the water with their dolphin-like fluke, conserving energy for their plant-based diet.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 240-400 cm
- Weight
- 230-500 kg
- Lifespan
- 50-70 years
- Top Speed
- 22 km/h
- Litter Size
- 1
- Gestation
- 365-425 days
Diet & Feeding
Gentle giants that munch on vast amounts of delicious underwater seagrass.
Age differences: Calves rely solely on mother's milk for the first few months, gradually introducing seagrass until fully weaned around 1.5-2 years of age.
Primary Foods
- Halophila ovalis
- Thalassia hemprichii
- Cymodocea serrulata
- Zostera capensis
Foraging Method
- Grazing
Ecological connections
eaten by
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
Large sharks prey on young or weak dugongs.
eaten by
Orca
Orcinus orca
Orcas, or 'killer whales', are known predators of dugongs.
eats
Sickle-leaved Seagrass
Thalassia hemprichii
A primary food source, providing essential nutrients for dugongs.
eats
Paddleweed Seagrass
Halophila ovalis
Dugongs extensively graze on this common and nutritious seagrass.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Furry
Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Dugongs are gentle and not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance in the ocean.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Dugong?
240-400 cm
How much does Dugong weigh?
230-500 kg
How long does Dugong live?
50-70 years
How fast can Dugong move?
22 km/h
What does Dugong eat?
Gentle giants that munch on vast amounts of delicious underwater seagrass.
How does Dugong hunt?
Grazing
How many babies does Dugong usually have?
1
How long is Dugong's gestation?
365-425 days
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