Commonly known as sea cows, Dugongs graze peacefully on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

Dugongs are cousins of manatees and share a similar plump appearance, but have a dolphin fluke-like tail. Unlike manatees, which use freshwater areas, the dugong is strictly a marine mammal.

Because they are shy and do not approach humans, little is known about a Dugong’s behaviour. They can go six minutes without breathing (though two and a half minutes is more typical), and have been known to rest on their tails to breathe with their heads above water. They can dive to a maximum depth of 39 metres, but will spend most of their lives in water which is no deeper than 10 metres.

Dugongs are primarily herbivorous; they will graze as much as 30kg of seagrass a day.