Dugongs once grazed in their thousands on the seabed off the Philippines. Dugongs inhabit shallow, tropical waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region, in warm shallow areas where seagrass is found. Fresh on the heels of news that most of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has bleac Dugongs and Manatees are Inflating Earth survivors. Your best chance is to visit the artificial inlets (marsa) created along the reef close to the shoreline. However, it is unlikely that any dugongs found alive in nets are released, as dugong meat is still prized and eaten or sold. Dugongs live up to 70 years in the wild and grow from 2.4 - 3m, weighing from 230 - 500kg. Not many are left in the wild and their numbers just KEEP on FALLING. Sadly we know more of the sirenias of the folklore variety than we do of the manatees and the dugongs. Local divemasters will know the locations of the most recent sightings. Yes, manatees and dugongs are scientific genus called "sirenia". They found that some local dugong populations number in the thousands. Indeed, these are beautiful and fascinating creatures. Dugongs are “strictly herbivorous” marine mammals related to manatees. Herds of up to 200 dugongs have been observed, but are rare because seagrasses cannot support large herds for an extended period. The exact number of dugongs left in the world currently remains unknown. The Amazonian manatee has a very dark gray-black appearance and many have white ventral patches. There are an estimated 3,000-10,000 left in the wild, and about 370 in captivity. “We’re lacking essential information on dugongs, such as where they are, how many they are, how we can protect them,” says Amanda’s team member Dr Christophe Cleguer, who has spent hundreds of hours in small planes, spotting dugongs. He tested a few different drones, … The news keeps getting worse for the the world's greatest coral reef system. Although Dugongs / Seacows normally flee people and boats, there are cases in which they come curiously close to divers or swimmers to have a look for them. Australia is home to the largest population, stretching from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Moreton Bay in Queensland. Cassiopia/Andromeda Liveaboards; When to Dive. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.. A mother and her calf is usually the smallest group. It is through these wonderful beings that we work to protect seagrass ecosystems which are absolutely crucial to the welfare of humanity, and without which dugongs would surely go extinct. About 40 to 50 dugongs are said to be left around the east coast of Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Pulau Sibu, and Pulau Tinggi in Johor. Dugongs have tail flukes with pointed projections at the tips, much like a whale or dolphin, but with a somewhat concave trailing edge. These lovely and shy animals once lived along all the coastlines of Southeast Asia. The Persian Gulf has the second-largest dugong population in the world, inhabiting most of the southern coast, and the current population is believed to range from 5,800 to 7,300. Discarded ‘ghost nets’ and fishing gear are especially hazardous and can entrap unwitting animals. However, because population surveys have not been done in certain regions of the world, it is difficult to estimate their total numbers with … As dugongs feed, whole plants are uprooted and a telltale feeding trail is left behind. The northern Great Barrier Reef is a stronghold for dugongs, which are threatened all around the world. Large tidal fish traps, known as belat or sero, also pose a threat to dugongs through incidental catches. Although Dugongs can be located all around the world, the majority of the current population resides within Australia, making it the most important refuge for the Dugong. Length: Up to 3 metres A dugong will sometimes breathe by ‘standing’ on its tail, with its head above water. Dugongs face a major threat from the use of gill-nets to catch sharks in Indonesian waters. These endearing mammals can grow to about three metres in length and weigh as much as 400 kilograms! Throughout their range, many human activities threaten dugongs due to the nature of the dugong’s life cycle and its reliance on seagrass habitats. There are reports that dugongs played with divers for hours. many parts of the region, but this practice has been outlawed in the UAE in recent years. Dugong tusks have been used as sword handles and, in 2009, an archaeological dig on a small island off the coast of Umm Al Quwain unearthed dugong bones, believed to have been used for ceremonial purposes. Dugongs and manatees have a relatively long snout, horizontal tail (like whales and dolphins) and short round paddle-like flippers. 5 left in captivity and 160 left in wild or so it seems How many snow leopards are their left in the world? There are many places around the world you can scuba dive with Dugongs but we got to see them in Marsa Alam, Egypt, where sightings are very likely. Dugongs not only become entangled in fishing nets and drown, as unintended bycatch; they also suffer boat strikes and can choke on marine debris left behind by fishers. Female dugongs have one calf after a yearlong pregnancy, and the mother helps her young reach the surface and take its first breath. The dorsal surfaces of dugongs often bear parallel scar marks left from wounds inflicted by tusks of males. Recommended Operator . Dugongs pique our curiosity, draw us closer, and ultimately tug our heart strings. This WIOMSA project was designed to find out if dugongs still occur off East Africa and if they do, how many there are and how best to conserve them. Dugong play an important ecological role in coastal marine ecosystems, and the status of dugong populations in an area can be used as an indicator of general ecosystem health. Christophe recently undertook a 3-week test survey along WA’s Pilbara coast. Dugongs live in areas where there are large quantities (“meadows”) of seagrass (family Zosteridae). Helen Marsh, a professor at James Cook University, said the increase in population can be attributed to the replenishment of food sources in the area. Dugongs are a critically endangered species. The collective runs research and protection programmes in Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania, with Cockcroft coordinating operations from Plettenberg Bay. DUGONG. How many dugongs are left in the wild? Dugongs (also known as sea-cows) are large marine mammals that are herbivores, mainly feeding on seagrass. Occasionally individual dugongs make long-distance travels over many days, and can travel over deep ocean waters. While dugongs perish every year, 2019 has been abnormally deadly, with the highest casualty count ever recorded in Thailand. Last month I suggested about 1,000 dugongs are killed each year in northern Australian waters and that this is too many. Seagrass ecosystems are regarded to […] Shark netting has reportedly increased in recent years in some areas. Today, ABC Online is quoting fisherman Peter Manning suggesting a figure of 1,600 dugongs. More precise population surveys have been done in Australia. Dugongs have long been associated with myths and legends – the Ark of the Covenant was reputedly protected by dugong hide, and early sightings have led to the legend of mermaids. In many parts of the dugong's range it may be extinct, or only small populations may be left. Dugongs are more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. They can grow to 4 meters in length and weigh up to 450 kilograms. No evidence of the continuing practice was found. We all know dolphins, sharks, octopuses but how many of us know about manatees and dugongs? Researchers from James Cook University estimated that, overall, there were 2800 dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, while another 2700 resided north of Hinchinbrook Island and the Queensland-New South Wales border. Believe it or not, there are only about 100 dugongs left in Malaysia! Mr Manning says all Australians should be concerned about the impact of Indigenous hunting on dugong stocks. He went on to study them for many years, ultimately starting the Dugong Project in 2012. West Indian and West African manatees and dugongs are gray in color, but may also appear brown. [15] Although they are marine creatures, dugongs have been known to travel up creeks, and in one case a dugong was caught 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) up a creek near Cooktown . Dugongs are unique – these are the only existing in our world herbivorous marine mammals. The Persian Gulf has the second-largest dugong population in the world, inhabiting most of the southern coast, and the current population is believed to be around 7,500. However, manatees are generally larger than dugongs, weighing 400-500 kilogram and growing to a length of 3.6 meters. The waters off Papua New Guinea and northern Australia are now the most important stronghold for the species. One animal was seen as far south as Sydney . Maybe it’s because some believe that dugongs served as inspiration for ancient seafaring tales of sirens and mermaids. Are manatees aggressive? The dugong is a medium-sized marine mammal.. Almost 3 decades of research in the WIO have led us to believe that there are very, very few dugongs left. Herds of 100–200 dugongs, however, are sometimes seen, with 450 being the maximum recorded. Dugongs are known to migrate and disperse over vast distances; as such, their survival is dependent on their conservation and management over a wide area and in a wide range of marine and coastal habitats. They are semi-nomadic animals and often migrate long distances in search of seagrass. Ventral patches are rare and there is little counter-shading in these three species. The majority of Red Sea dugong sightings have been off the coast at Abu Dabbab, a sandy-bottomed lagoon about 30km from Marsa Alam. Traditionally, dugongs were hunted for food by local people and even appeared in the UAE’s fish markets in the 1970s, he adds. Therefore, the topic of the possible disappearance of the dugong population was considered at the Bonn Convention in the Arab Emirates in 2010, where ways to save dugongs … Dugongs are social animals and are typically observed in groups ranging between 2 and 200 individuals. 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 on a race against time as their population continues to decline since they were first spotted on our shores back in the 60s. There are only about 2,000 dugongs left along the shores of the Red Sea, so you have to be lucky to run into one. These surveys are done from a small plane with four observers, two on each side of the plane. Dugongs name comes from the Tagalog name “dugong”, which originates from the Malay term “duyung”, which means “lady of the sea”.Maybe it’s because of their gentle look and the graceful way these animals swim. 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