Dugong Project

Behavior and Characteristics of a Dugong

The Dugongs are amazing creatures which have unique behaviors and characteristics to survive in the sea. Dugongs are found mostly in coastal warm water like the Red sea, Indian Oceans, and the Pacific.They can also be found in the coastal waters from Australia to East Africa. One example of their unique characteristics is that the dugongs have their nostrils at the top of their snout so they breathe air just by reaching their heads up. An advantage that they have is that their nostrils close when they dive down to the water to feed or to swim. This feature allows dugongs to hold their breath for about six minutes before reaching to the surface to breathe. Their snout comes in handy because males use their snout to fight over females when it’s mating season. Females tend to be larger than male dugongs, females use their "sharply down turned snout" which helps them eat on uprooting seagrasses from the sea. Another useful characteristic Dugongs have is their tails which moves just like the whale's. They also use their tales to stand on them to reach the surface to breath. Dugongs also use smart behaviors to helps them survive from predators. One of their unique behaviors and smart way of avoiding the tiger sharks is that swim to much deeper waters where there is not much food, but they are safe because tiger sharks don't hunt that deep. Dugongs are also seen in waters far away from shore between Australia and Papua New Guinea just like the Torres Strait where continental shelf are wide and big, this give protection to Dugongs and that's where they put their skills to work. Dugongs are also related to the elephants, even if they are different in ways they are also similar in their behaviors. Another of the species that dugongs are related to is the manatees which are often confused with their characteristics. These magnificent animals have the right unique skills to survive in the wide landscapes of seas.