A group of fishermen in the southern state of Tamil Nadu recently rescued and released a young Dugong that had been caught accidentally in their fishing net.

What is Dugong?

Dugongs are found in coastal waters and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

About Dugong:

Also called the sea cow, the dugong (Dugong dugon)  is a herbivorous mammal. It is the only vegetarian marine mammal. 

Edging toward extinction.

Known as the ocean's most gentle giant,  the dugong  is classified as "vulnerable" on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list of threatened species

Dugong is now extinct in China. It is almost wiped out in some parts of the world. Australia has the world's largest population of dugongs. The largest population of sea cows is found in the northern waters of Australia. 

• Features:

o Dugongs range in length from about 2.2 to 3.4 metres and weigh 230 to 420 kg.

o It has a tapered body that ends in a deeply notched tail or fluke. 

o The forelimbs are rounded flippers lacking nails; there are no hind limbs nor any discernible neck.

o They are long-lived animals (up to 73 years).

Key Takeaways

• Scientific Name: Dugong dugon
• They have a broad but fragmented range inhibiting the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.
•  Australia has the world's largest population of dugongs. 
• The second largest population is found in the Arabian Gulf.
• Dugongs are not considered migratory but are known to travel great distances within their range in order to find food.
• They generally inhabit shallow waters, remaining at depths of around 10 m. They graze on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters.