Mammals · Sirenia · Dugongidae
Dugong dugon
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
It is the only surviving member of the family Dugongidae — its close relative, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction by humans within just 27 years of its scientific discovery in 1741.
Weight
up to 1 t
Size
up to 3 m
Life expectancy
70 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; JRank Sea Cows Dugongs Manatees; Ocean Info; Menjelajahi Perbedaan (traducido)
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 20 of 57.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Dugong — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The dugong is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 13 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about dugong.
Share an experience, a fun fact or a tip for seeing the dugong.
Be the first to comment.
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
