dugong
The Dungong is closely related to the Manatee and the Elephants! They can live to over 75 years old. In the old days sailors thought they were mermaids.
breeding & caring for young
A female will not be sexually mature till she is 10-17 years of age, and will only have babies every three to seven years.
threats
Dugongs are vulnerable. One threat is habitat loss for coastal development and boat traffic (blades at the back of a boat slicing them). When high rises are made close to beaches they push sand into where the seagrass is and kills it. In some areas of southern Queensland Dugong numbers have dropped by around 90 per cent in recent years.
convation
Australia has the world's largest dugong population. 100,000 Dugongs live in northern Australia and the Torres Strait. Most of which is from habitat loss due to coastal development and boat traffic - in some areas of southern Queensland waters, numbers have decreased by around 90 per cent in recent years. It's not known yet whether a breeding program in captivity may be possible. Beach care is doing a great job at cleaning up beaches.
how you can help
- Adopt a Dugong.
- Join beach care.
- Spread the message.
places to see them
There is only one place to see Dugongs in Australia and that is Sydney Aquarium.
image credits
http://birgittamueck.blogspot.com.au/2012_01_01_archive.html
http://www.thatslife.com.au/Article/Pets/More-Tails/Race-to-save-the-dugongs
http://www.thatslife.com.au/Article/Pets/More-Tails/Race-to-save-the-dugongs