The dugong (/ ˈd (j) uːɡɒŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. Dugongidae is a family in the order of Sirenia.

Understanding the Context

The family has one surviving species, the dugong (Dugong dugon), one recently extinct species, Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), and a number of extinct genera known from fossil records. 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. Commonly known as "sea cows," dugongs graze peacefully on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. Dugongs have become an important tourist attraction.

Key Insights

Tourists can swim with them or observe them from boats. These gentle sea cows are the only exclusively marine mammals that survive entirely on underwater vegetation. Unlike whales or dolphins, dugongs don’t hunt. Instead, they graze seagrass beds with the same patience and purpose as cattle grazing on land. Dugongs graze on underwater grasses day and night, rooting for them with their bristled, sensitive snouts and chomping them with their rough lips.

Final Thoughts

These mammals can stay underwater for six... Der Dugong (Dugong dugon), seltener auch Gabelschwanzseekuh oder Seeschwein genannt, ist der einzige heute noch lebende Vertreter der Gabelschwanzseekühe (Dugongidae), die zusammen mit den Rundschwanzseekühen oder Manatis die Ordnung der Seekühe (Sirenia) bilden. What in the World is a Dugong? | National Geographic - YouTube The Dugong is a large, grey brown bulbous animal with a flattened fluked tail, like that of a whale, no dorsal fin, paddle like flippers and distinctive head shape.