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Dugongs are cousins of manatees and share a similar plump appearance, but have a dolphin fluke-like tail. And unlike manatees, which use freshwater areas, the dugong is strictly a marine mammal. Commonly known as "sea cows," dugongs graze peacefully on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
Other facts:The dugong is the only entirely marine mammal to feed exclusively on plants , a trait that leads to its other common name of 'sea cow'. These large, rotund animals have short, paddle-like front flippers and a fluke-like tail, with a straight or concave edge, that is used for propulsion. The thick skin is a brownish-grey colour and there are short, coarse hairs sparsely distributed over the body but concentrated as bristles on the muzzle. All dugongs grow tusks but these only break the skin, and therefore become visible, in mature males .
Bibliography: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/dugong
http://www.arkive.org/dugong/dugong-dugon/
- Scientific Name Dugong dugon
- Weight over 800 pounds
- Length nearly 10 feet
- Habitats Oceans
Other facts:The dugong is the only entirely marine mammal to feed exclusively on plants , a trait that leads to its other common name of 'sea cow'. These large, rotund animals have short, paddle-like front flippers and a fluke-like tail, with a straight or concave edge, that is used for propulsion. The thick skin is a brownish-grey colour and there are short, coarse hairs sparsely distributed over the body but concentrated as bristles on the muzzle. All dugongs grow tusks but these only break the skin, and therefore become visible, in mature males .
Bibliography: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/dugong
http://www.arkive.org/dugong/dugong-dugon/