Dugongs are marine mammals that inhabit tropical and subtropical coastal waters from East Africa to Vanuatu, where they feed on seagrass in shallow seagrass beds. They can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh nearly 600 pounds, living up to 70 years by grazing on sea grasses with their cleft lips. Their populations are small, with fewer than 250 remaining in Thailand.

1. DUGONG FACTS
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical to sub-tropical latitudes of the Indian and
western Pacific oceans
ECOSYSTEM/HABITAT
Seagrass beds
FEEDING HABITS
Herbivore
TAXONOMY
Order Sirenia (manatees and relatives), Family
Dugongidae (dugongs)
1. Grow to a
maximum length of
13 feet (4 m) long
and weight of 595
pounds (270 kg).
2. Live up to 70
years.
3. Dugongs are
referred to as sea
cows because they
use their strong,
cleft upper lips to
graze on sea
grasses they uproot
from the seafloor.
4. It can take eight
to eighteen years
for a dugong to
reach full sexual
maturity. This is
relatively longer
than other marine
mammals, such as
whales.
POPULATION
THAILAND:
<250

2. GREENGUARDIANS.ASSO