Dugong

Let us know what is a dugong. Dugongs are massive vegetarians found in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.

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Dugongs are related to manatees and look and behave similarly, though the dugong's tail is fluked like a whale's. Both are related to elephants, though the giant land animal bears no resemblance in appearance or behaviour.

Dugong Scientific Name

We already know what is a dugong. Let’s discuss dugong scientific name. Dugong dugon is the scientific name for the dugong. This name is most likely derived from the local Visayan word for the species, which was later adopted by Europeans. Visayan is still spoken in what is now the Philippines. The dugong is the only living member of the family Dugongidae and one of four living members of the order Sirenia, the others being three species of manatees. Overhunting drove a second member of the family, Steller's sea cow, to extinction in the 18th century. The fossil record contains information on nineteen different genera in the family.

Despite their vast physical differences, sea cows are most closely related to elephants. The two groups most likely diverged more than 50 million years ago. The first Sirenians were most likely four-legged amphibious mammals that could easily move between land and water. They could have been the size of a hippopotamus, feeding on plant matter found in shallow water.

Characteristics of Dugongs

Distribution

Dugongs are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where they exist in critically endangered and nearly extinct populations. They can be found from the east coast of Africa to Vanuatu and other western Pacific islands. The greatest concentration of dugongs is found off the coast of northern Australia, with the Arabian Gulf hosting the second largest population. The dugong, which feeds on seagrass, prefers to live in shallow and protected coastal, tropical waters. It prefers salty waters and is rarely found in freshwater.

Habits and Lifestyle

Dugongs are usually found alone or in pairs, usually consisting of a mother and her calf. They have been observed in large groups of several hundred animals. Dugongs, as semi-nomadic animals, may travel great distances in search of specific seagrass or live in the same area their entire lives. They usually have to travel when their main source of food, seagrass, is in short supply. When suitable seagrass is depleted, they move on in search of new feeding grounds. Because they live in turbid waters, these animals are extremely difficult to spot unless they are disturbed. When they are disturbed, these shy animals flee. When they don't flee, they usually observe the vessel or diver from a safe distance. Furthermore, because dugongs are difficult to keep in captivity, there is little information on their habits and behaviour.

Mating Habits

Dugongs are polyandrous, which means that one female is in a monogamous relationship with two or more males. Dugongs can reproduce at any time of year. Males of this species are constantly on the lookout for receptive females. Reproduction is usually dependent on location, but they are known to have an extremely low birth rate, giving birth to a single young every 2.5 - 7 years. The gestation period is quite long, lasting between 13 and 14 months. Seagrass can be consumed by newborn dugongs. Maternal milk, on the other hand, aids in their rapid development. Young are nursed for more than 18 months, staying close to their mothers and riding on her back. Males reach sexual maturity between the ages of 6 and 12 years, and females reach sexual maturity between the ages of 6 and 6 years, though females of this species typically give birth between the ages of 6 and 17 years. As they mature, young dugongs rush away from their mother in search of mates.

Underwater Behavior of Dugong animal

Dugongs graze on underwater grasses at all hours of the day and night, rooting for them with their bristled, sensitive snouts and chomping on them with their rough lips. These mammals can submerge for up to six minutes before surfacing. They will occasionally breathe by "standing" on their tails with their heads above water. Dugongs spend most of their time alone or in pairs, though they are occasionally seen in large herds of hundreds of animals.

Population Threats

Hunting for meat and oil is one of the most serious threats to this species' population. Dugongs are frequently caught by accident in nets designed to catch fish and sharks. Because of insufficient oxygen supply, this by-catch causes a high number of deaths. Throughout their range, ships, boats, and other vessels may collide with these animals. Another significant threat is habitat disruption in the form of water pollution, which results in the destruction of seagrass beds, which are the primary food source for these animals. Finally, due to this species' extremely low birth rate, their population cannot grow. Dugongs, on the other hand, cannot be bred in captivity.

Population Number

According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), the overall Dugong population is estimated to be around 85,000 animals living in northern Australian waters ranging from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Moreton Bay in Queensland (Queensland). Dugong populations are declining, and these animals are now classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

Reproduction and Conservation of Dugong Animal

After a year of pregnancy, female dugongs have one calf, and the mother assists her young to reach the surface and take its first breath. For about 18 months, a young dugong stays close to its mother, occasionally catching a ride on her broad back.

These languid creatures are an easy target for coastal hunters, and they have long been sought after for their meat, oil, skin, bones, and teeth. Although dugongs are now legally protected throughout their range, their populations remain vulnerable.

Some believe that dugongs inspired ancient seafaring legends of mermaids and sirens.

Behaviour of the Dugong Animal

Dugongs prefer to be solitary or in small groups but have been seen in large numbers during the breeding season. They travel along shallow coasts feeding on seagrass for up to six minutes before surfacing to breathe. Dugongs have been observed standing on their tails when surfacing for air because they live in shallow waters.

Indigenous Culture and Dugongs

The dugong fish has significant cultural and social significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in northern Australia's coastal areas. Hunting these species is important for maintaining family relationships (kinship) and social structure, as well as for ceremonial and community purposes. It also provides valuable protein in areas where fresh food is expensive and difficult to obtain.

Indigenous communities are collaborating with government agencies and scientists to develop and implement community-based management for dugong hunting that is sustainable. The Australian Government's Caring for Our Country and Working on Country programmes primarily fund this work.

Dugong Predators and Threats

A single dugong fish can be a tempting target for a number of hungry predators due to its docile nature and relative lack of defences. Their only true defence is their enormous size, which allows them to fend off all but the largest creatures that patrol the coasts, such as sharks, crocodiles, and killer whales. Young calves are the most vulnerable to predation because they are nearly defenceless in their first few years of life. Many dugongs are also killed by diseases and parasites. Apart from human activity, this is possibly the most serious threat to their survival.

For thousands of years, humans have hunted dugongs for the value of their oil, skin, and meat. Despite human predation, dugongs have often thrived. However, as industrialised hunting became more prevalent in the 18th century, the species came under increasing threat. International laws have improved the species' protection from wanton hunting, but it still faces a number of other threats.

Conservation of Dugongs

Dugong numbers have decreased in recent times. In order to make the population stable, 95 percent of adults have to survive for one year. The estimated percentage of females humans can kill without depleting the population is 1–2%. This number is reduced in areas where calving is minimal due to food shortages. Even in the best of circumstances, a population is unlikely to grow by more than 5% per year, leaving dugongs exposed to overexploitation. Because they live in shallow waters, they are subjected to a great deal of human pressure. There has been little research on dugongs and the effects of human activity on them, with most of it taking place in Australia. In many countries, dugong numbers have never been surveyed. As a result, trends are uncertain, and more data is required for effective management.

The only data that goes back far enough to acknowledge population trends emerge from Queensland, Australia's urban coast. The most recent major global study, conducted in 2002, concluded that the dugong was declining and possibly extinct in one-third of its range, with the status of the remaining half unknown.

Beliefs, Superstitions, and Phobias About the Dugong 

Manatees are often misidentified as mermaids by sailors at sea, according to legend. Sirenia is the name given to the manatee and dugong families. Sirenia derives from the Greek word "siren," which refers to Greek mythology.

These legends are thought to have originated with dugongs rather than manatees. Dugongs are the most likely to be seen by sailors in the ocean because they are the only seagoing Sirenian.

Fun Facts About Dugong Fish

• Dugongs are known as sea cows because they graze on seagrasses that they uproot from the seafloor with their powerful, cleft upper lips.

• Despite their resemblance to cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), dugongs and manatees are thought to be land mammal descendants, making them more closely related to elephants than whales.

• Dugongs are also known as sea cows or sirenias. Because their mammary gland and nursing habits are similar to those of humans, these animals are known as 'sirenias.' As a result, sailors frequently refer to dugongs as mermaids or sirens.

• These animals' upper lips are very flexible, allowing them to snatch entire plants. Dugongs leave 'feeding trails,' which are furrows made on the seafloor, after feeding.

• Dugongs are known to stand on their tails, pointing their heads out of the water, to breathe.

• Dugongs first appeared around 50-60 million years ago, evolving from elephant-like animals and entering the water.