Facts about Dugong

1. 07

   Seagrass meadows can lose up to 90 percent of dugongs when water turbidity increases, since the marine mammals rely on visual acuity to locate their primary food source on the seafloor.

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2. 06

   Female dugongs reach sexual maturity around 9-10 years old and typically produce only one calf every 3-7 years, making them one of the slowest-reproducing marine mammals.

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3. 05

   A dugong's molars continuously move forward through its jaw over a lifetime, replacing worn teeth much like a conveyor belt system throughout its 70-year lifespan.

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4. 04

   In 2007, Australia designated the entire Great Barrier Reef as a protected habitat specifically to safeguard the remaining 3,000 to 5,000 wild dugongs from extinction.

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5. 03

   The dugong's closest living relative is the manatee, with both species belonging to the order Sirenia, which diverged approximately 50 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.

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6. 02

   Dugongs have been hunted for over 3,000 years across the Indo-Pacific region, with archaeological evidence from Southeast Asia documenting their consumption since ancient times.

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7. 01

   Weighing up to 900 kilograms, the dugong can hold its breath for up to six minutes while foraging on seagrass in shallow coastal waters.

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