dugongs
Grazing sea mammals
Dugongs are large marine mammals related to manatees, found in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia.
They graze on seagrass in shallow bays and estuaries, earning them the nickname "sea cows." Unlike manatees, dugongs have fluked tails like dolphins and never enter fresh water.
Dugongs are increasingly threatened by habitat loss and boat strikes.
Large aquatic herbivorous mammal
- sea cowLarge aquatic herbivorous mammal
- marine mammalWarm-blooded ocean dweller
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
flippers · tusks · nostrils · blubber · cetacean · aquatic · gray skin · slow-moving
Underwater flowering plant ecosystems
- shallow watersLow-depth aquatic zones
- coastalOf the shoreline
- Indo-PacificCombined ocean region
- Red SeaAfrican-Arabian saltwater inlet
Australia · Persian Gulf · tropical · warm seas · estuaries · bays · lagoons · mangroves
At risk of extinction
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- protectedKept from harm
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- huntingPursuing wild game
bycatch · habitat loss · fishing nets · population decline · sanctuary · marine reserve · monitoring · recovery
Fish-tailed ocean woman
- sirenWailing alert device
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- sailorsMaritime vessel crew members
mythical · Okinawa · Palau · Aboriginal · Dreamtime · sacred · supernatural · enchantment
Time-honored prey pursuit
- meatAnimal tissue for food
- oilSlippery viscous fluid
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- cultural practiceInherited communal behavior pattern
manatee
Large aquatic herbivorous mammal
- sea cowLarge aquatic herbivorous mammal
- marine mammalWarm-blooded ocean dweller
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
seagrass · flippers · tusks · nostrils · blubber · cetacean · aquatic · gray skin · slow-moving · breathing
seagrass beds
Underwater flowering plant ecosystems
- shallow watersLow-depth aquatic zones
- coastalOf the shoreline
- Indo-PacificCombined ocean region
Red Sea · Australia · Persian Gulf · tropical · warm seas · estuaries · bays · lagoons · mangroves · coral reefs
endangered
At risk of extinction
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- protectedKept from harm
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
hunting · bycatch · habitat loss · fishing nets · population decline · sanctuary · marine reserve · monitoring · recovery · poaching
mermaid
Fish-tailed ocean woman
sailors · mythical · Okinawa · Palau · Aboriginal · Dreamtime · sacred · supernatural · enchantment · apparition
traditional hunting
Time-honored prey pursuit
- meatAnimal tissue for food
- oilSlippery viscous fluid
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
cultural practice · feast · tribal tradition · coastal communities
- island wildlifemarine iguana, Darwin's finches, Galapagos tortoise, giant tortoise, giant tortoises
- large herbivoreselephants, African elephants, Asian elephants, rhinos, black rhinos
- marine mammalsdolphin, whales, whale, dolphins, porpoise
- Persian GulfPersian Gulf, Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai, Qatar
- Tropical SeasCaribbean Sea, Coral Sea, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, South China Sea
- Afrotheriaelephant, elephants, mammoth, mastodon, manatee
dugongsorcas
Large predatory dolphins
killer whales · great white sharks · marine predators · dolphins · whales
dugongselephants
Tusked, trunk-bearing mammals
cattle · camels · horses · rhinoceroses · hippopotamuses