Dugong

 

Characteristics

The dugong is between 2.4 to 4 metres in size, as a full-grown adult. Juveniles are usually about 2.2metres in size. Males are the same size as females. The dugongs can be distinguished by their colour blue/grey. They have no patterns.

 

Behaviour

Dugongs swim long distances for sea grass (foraging). Young dugongs hide behind their mother when in danger (Parental care). Dugongs mating call is making a chirp and bark-like sound. It’s so high pitched humans cannot hear it (Courtship). Female dugongs give birth underwater to one calf at three to seven year intervals (reproductive). They can travel in herds of 100 but that’s been the highest recorded (social). Dugongs don’t fight for territory, they have no defence. They are slow and can’t see properly. They have poor eye sight but good sense of smell and good knowledge of their surroundings (Offensive/Defensive). Both males and females have tusks but the males' tusks are visible to the naked eye (territorial). Dugongs only migrate to find sea grass and warm water in other areas, otherwise they stay in relatively the same spot (migratory). 

 

Diet

The Dugong is a herbivore and eats sea grass. Its predators include sharks, salt water crocodiles and humans. Organisms that it competes with include turtles, sharks, fish, eagle rays and star fish. They compete for resources such as sea grass and territory.

 

Distribution and Abundance

Dugongs are found in Australia, Asia, east Africa and the Pacific Islands. They are found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and the north part of Western Australia. In the Northern Territory, they are found along the coast. Dugongs are mostly found on the east and west coast.

 

Dugongs cover a large amount of territory, but the population of Dugongs is deceasing to loss of habitat, pollution and human destruction, and loss of vegetation. 

 

Impacts

The Dugong is vulnerable and protected in the Northern Territory by the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2000. The maximum penalty is currently $50,000 or 5 years in prison.

The dugong is vulnerable so it’s fully protected from any commercial or recreational hunting within Australian waters, making it an offence to kill, injure, take, trade, keep or remove Dugongs.

Dugongs are vulnerable all around the world. In many countries in the world, hunting Dugongs is banned. If you kill or cause harm to a Dugong you can be heavily fined.

 

Management

The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife are doing lots of things to try and protect the Dugongs. This includes monitoring how many Dugongs are around the Northern Territory and consulting with fishers about incidences with accidental catches. They also continue to map the sea grass distribution in the Northern Territory waters.

The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife is also consulting with the indigenous people about the need to protect Dugongs. They also speak to the Commonwealth about the need to protect Dugongs' habitats in the Commonwealth waters.