A female is 10 before she has her first calf and will only reproduce every three to seven years, caring for a single calf for two years or more. Interesting Facts About the Dugong. This is a dugong looking for some sea grass to eat. Dugong Facts & Trivia for kids The Dugong is a large marine mammal which is related to the manatee. Dugongs rarely communicate visually, due to their poor eyesight. The legends of mermaids are believed to have originated when sailors viewed dugongs and manatees … For parents, this book allows you to talk about the importance of responsibility and how our actions play out in the marine environment. Dugongs are large grey mammals which spend their entire lives in the sea. Its closest living relatives are the manatees. When breathing they will sometimes rest on their tail and poke their head out of the water. A contributing factor to the reason dugongs are an endangered species is because of the gestation period and the late age of sexual maturity. Dugong Facts. These unique characteristics set dugongs apart from many other marine mammals. Dugong Magic. Dugong Kids Clothing by The Sleepy Monito. The incidental and deliberate capture of dugongs in artisanal fisheries is one of the most serious and widespread threats to the dugong’s survival. Unlike other marine mammals, dugongs cannot hold their breath under water for very long. Sadly, these beautiful and rare marine mammals need your help. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. Dugong – Facts, Pictures, Habitat, Characteristics. Today I want to write about a beautiful, gentle animal, the dugong. Skip to content. The dugong species is a part of the Sirenia order commonly referred to as sea-cows. The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a medium-sized marine mammal. Dugongs are related to manatees and are similar in appearance and behavior— though the dugong's tail is fluked like a whale's. Out of the Sirenia Order that also includes three manatees’ species, the dugong is the fourth living species. 2. Keywords. Soft and durable One-Piece - Short Sleeve kids clothing. Geographic Range. Dugong are part of the Sirenia order of animals, which are often known as "sea cows". There was one other modern member — Steller’s sea cow; a huge, slow-swimming northern Pacific mammal that ate seaweed and may have reached weights of up to 10 tonnes. Kids; A-Z; Dugongs. Dugong list of facts is made of finely balanced population parameters. 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. 28 Mar 2018. Did you know that: The dugong, Dugong dugon, is the only extant member of the Dugongidae family and is one of four species of Sirenia. Dugongs differ from their closest living relative, the manatee, in a number of ways. 2. Dugongs only give birth every 3-7 years, and live for up to 70 years. They may have been mistaken for mermaids as well. So we wanted to give a shoutout to their cousin - the dugong! Moreton Bay is a stronghold with more than 700 individuals. May 15, 2020 at 11:34 am ADOPT A DUGONG. A female dugong gives birth to only one calf every 3 or 7 years. When under stress, females respond by producing fewer young, further stalling population growth. A blog about animals to help educate kids about wildlife Menu. The dugong is therefore considered extinct in this area, taking into account that the usual traces the dugong leaves in the seagrass haven't been seen, no accidental captures have been reported after 1970 and that fishing nets are widely used in the area, acting as a menace to the survival of this species. A Truly Marine Mammal – Dugongs are the only species in the order Sirenia (dugongs and manatees) that lives in an exclusively marine environment. Fun Facts About Dugongs. Fully grown, they may be three metres long and weigh 400 kilograms. THE SEA-GRASS plains of Moreton Bay, off the coast of Queensland, is home to one of Australia’s largest populations of dugong. 4. Dugongs reach their full adult size between 9 and 17 years of age. So even under optimal conditions, dugong populations can only ever increase by 5% a year. It is believed that dugongs and the closely related manatees were sometimes mistaken for the legendary Greek mythological figures, the sirens, by some European sailors traveling far from home. Being a marine herbivorous mammal, dugongs are more closely related to elephants than to marine mammals such as whales and dolphins, but their closest living aquatic relatives are the manatees. Range of color options. Dugongs can reach 17 years of age before they start to breed and when they do they will only reproduce every 3 - 7 years. They are also threatened by pollution, poor water quality and collision with boats. Dugongs grow to a maximum length of 13 feet (4 m) long and weight of 595 pounds (270 kg). The dugong is a medium-sized marine mammal who is the only surviving representative of the Dugongidae family. Enjoy a range of colourful pictures, interesting information and fun trivia related to the largest coral reef system in the world. 5 Incredible Dugong Facts. 3. Quick facts. December 22, 2014 | Darren Poke. Dugongs are large marine mammals inhabiting warm ocean waters surrounding Australia and Indonesia. Commercial gillnet fishing is a major threat to dugongs along Australia’s eastern coastline. 3. Dugongs can live for about 70 years but population growth is slow. Dugongs as a result have adapted in response to this change and have learnt to travel long distances to warmer parts of the ocean, even if this means in deeper areas. The dugong (/ ˈ dj uː ɡ ɒ ŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a medium-sized marine mammal.It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.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. Although the age of sexual maturity of Dugongs is usually 9 or 10 years, sometimes it takes 15 years for a Dugong to reach its sexual maturity. A dugong can remain underwater for up to 6 minutes. Check out our Great Barrier Reef facts for kids. A more common amount of time though is 2 ½ minutes. Research and tracking of dugongs have shown that Dugongs travel over 100km to warmer part of that bay during winter and then eventually return to their original bays during the warmer seasons. Dugongs reach adult size between 4 and 17 years of age. Dugong will eat algae in addition to it's primary diet of sea grasses. Download the teacher notes to extend learning beyond the book. Dugongs (Dugong dugon), also known as sea cows, have a broad but fragmented range, encompassing tropical waters from East Africa to Vanuatu, about 26 degrees both north and south of the equator.This range spans at least 48 countries and about 140,000 km of tropical coastline. DUGONG. Predators The main predators of Dugongs are sharks, killer whales and crocodiles. [toc] Dugongs occur in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Dugong Facts. Solid colors are 100% cotton, heather colors are cotton blends. Dugongs are usually observed singly or as pairs, and sightings of dugongs by early seafarers are believed to have given rise to the mythology of mermaids and Sirens. Dugongs are more closely related to elephants than other marine mammals, such as whales and dolphins. Dugongs were hunted to the edge of extinction in the early part of last century by Europeans for food and oil. Dugong facts; Life span (maximum longevity - most dugong die at a younger age) 70 years : Age before breeding (females) 6-17 years: Age before breeding (males) 4-16 years: Gestation period: 13-15 months: Number of young: 1: Lactaction length: 14-18 months: Time between breeding: 3-7 years: Maximum possible rate of increase (e.g. Learn about the amazing marine life, where the Great Barrier Reef is, how climate change could affect it and much more. 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. From the family of Dugongidae, which was once very diverse, the dugongs are … dugongs; ecosystem; environmental laws; great barrier reef; protected areas; queensland; Did you know today is Manatee Appreciation Day? #Dugong facts. Dugongs are sirenians and therefore related to manatees. Dugong populations take a long time to recover because they have a very slow breeding rate and are vulnerable to loss of seagrass habitat. Dugongs are referred to as sea cows because they use their strong, cleft upper lips to graze on sea grasses they uproot from the seafloor. 1. The legend of the mermaid is based upon sightings by sailors of dugongs. Taiwan: there is a lot of evidence that the dugong is practically extinct here. To find out more about dugongs, grab a copy of issue 118 (Jan/Feb 2014) of Australian Geographic. Dugong & divers. Dugong are part of the Sirenia order of animals, which are often known as "sea cows". Dugong Facts & Trivia for kids The Dugong is a large marine mammal which is related to the manatee. Dugongs swim by moving their broad whale-like tail in an up and down motion, and by use of their two flippers. Dugong will eat algae in addition to it's primary diet of sea grasses. Although dugongs may be caught in a range of different net types, capture in gill nets is the most significant problem. Dugong is a marine mammal that swims around warm tropical waters. It derives its name from the Malay language, where duyung means “lady of the sea” or “mermaid”. These low breeding rates, long-term care of their calves, long time between calves, as well as their dependence on seagrass, make dugongs an easy prey for humans. Great Barrier Reef Facts. Most dugongs are concentrated around northern Australia, while they are also found throughout the Indo-Pacific tropics. There are lots of fun facts about the dugong. At the back of the book you’ll also find some valuable dugong facts to go through with the kids. To communicate dugongs use chirps, whistles and barks. 4. April 27, 2020 by SRK Leave a Comment. They come to the surface to breathe through nostrils 1. Herds of 100–200 dugongs, however, are sometimes seen, with 450 being the maximum recorded. Instead, they use sounds and physical touch. It shares a common ancestor with the elephant. 7 facts about dugongs! These days, dugongs are under pressure from other activities, such as loss of habitat, boat traffic and being caught in fishing nets. THE DUGONG IS the only surviving species in the family Dugongidae. This is the reason why their order was given the name Sirenia. Dugongs can live up to 70 years. Threats to Dugongs. Home; About Hayden; Amphibians; Birds; Fish; Invertebrates – Land; Invertebrates – Water ; Mammals; Reptiles; 5 Interesting Facts About Dugongs. Dugongs are air breathing marine mammals, and become entangled in fishing nets and drown. Earthrace Conservation . 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.