Marine Species under Threat: Dugong

The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a large marine mammal which, together with the manatees, is one of four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century.

Dugongs are related to manatees and are similar in appearance and behavior— though the dugong's tail is fluked like a whale's. Both are related to the elephant, although the giant land animal is not at all similar in appearance or behavior. Some believe that dugongs were the inspiration for ancient seafaring tales of mermaids and sirens.

The dugong is also the only sirenian in its range, which spans the waters of at least 37 countries throughout the Indo-Pacific, though the majority of dugongs live in the northern waters of Australia between Shark Bay and Moreton Bay. The dugong is the only strictly marine herbivorous mammal, as all species of manatee use fresh water to some degree.

These enormous vegetarians can be found in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.

These languid animals make an easy target for coastal hunters, and they were long sought for their meat, oil, skin, bones, and teeth. Dugongs are now legally protected throughout their range, but their populations are still in a tenuous state.

Quick stats and scientific classification of Dugong:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Sirenia

Family: Dugongidae (Gray, 1821)

Subfamily: Dugonginae (Simpson, 1932)

Genus: Dugong (Lacépède, 1799)

Species: D. dugon 

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in the wild: 70 years

Size: 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3 m)

Weight: 510 to 1,100 lbs (231 to 499 kg)

Group name: Herd

Protection status: Threatened

Size: relative to a 6-ft (2-m)