The dugong is the only herbivorous mammal that spends its entire life in the sea.
Dugongs are marine mammals that feed mainly on seagrasses in shallow coastal waters. Their downward-pointing snouts help them crop vegetation from the seabed, and feeding can leave distinctive trails through seagrass meadows.
They are members of the order Sirenia and are more closely related to elephants than to whales or dolphins. Unlike seals and sea lions, dugongs do not come ashore. Females give birth to a single calf after a long gestation, and calves may remain dependent on their mothers for an extended period.
Australia supports the world’s largest remaining dugong populations, especially in northern coastal waters. Dugongs face threats from habitat loss, seagrass decline, hunting, boat strikes and accidental capture in fishing gear.