A dugong study off Queensland

They are quite a devoted animal to remain with their young for so long. Due to our cold waters, we do not have any off of our coasts that I am aware of.

As I saw the photo I thought it looked a bit like a manatee. Those are big animals, not really cute, but very gentle.

Very unique species, just like the manatees. One of our Ast. Professors at LSU Wetland Biogeochemistry Laboratory studied manatees and I always enjoyed reading her research papers when they were published.

Dugongs really are fascinating—almost like the ocean’s quiet gardeners, grazing peacefully on seagrass meadows. While they might not win beauty contests, their gentle nature and important role in marine ecosystems make them special. They help maintain healthy seagrass beds, which in turn support many other marine species. Unfortunately, their slow reproduction and dependence on seagrass make them vulnerable to habitat loss, boat strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear. In the Philippines, dugongs are found mainly in Palawan, northern Busuanga, and the Calamian Islands, with occasional sightings in Mindoro, Mindanao, and other coastal regions. They’re considered critically endangered in the country, with populations greatly reduced over the past decades due to coastal development, pollution, and hunting in earlier times. The Philippines now has conservation efforts in place—such as the **Dugong Watch Program** in Palawan—to monitor and protect these “sea cows” through community participation, ecotourism, and stricter fishing regulations. Seeing one in the wild here is rare, but it’s a treasured experience that highlights just how vital it is to protect their habitat.

They look a bit smaller than manatees.

They also like the outlets from nuclear power plants since the water from those is warmer than the ocean waters. Dugongs and manatees are both protected species in US waters.

They are kind of ugly.

@judyev They do see like quite inoffensive creatures.

I have never seen either dugongs or manatees, I would be intrigues to see some.

I have never seen anything like this. I e certainly never heard of these . I enjoyed reading all about them though.

Interesting facts about dugongs.

So cool. I LOVE our manatees. Finally saw one on a trip to the Keys and Everglades. It was eating some kind of mossy stuff by a dock in the Everglades.