About– Also called the sea cow, they are herbivorous mammal. This is the only herbivorous marine mammals and the only member of the family Dugongidae.
- It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.
- They can grow up to three meters long, weigh about 300 kilograms and live for about 65 to 70 years grazing on seagrass and coming to the surface to breathe.
Conservation Status: 
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Wild (Life) Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
Habitat: They are found in over 30 countries and in India are seen in the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kutch, Palk Bay, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- They are mainly found in shallow areas since they survive mainly on seagrass.
Diet: They are largely dependent on seagrass communities for subsistence and are thus restricted to the coastal habitats which support seagrass meadows.
Population: According to Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimates, only 200-250 Dugongs are left in the wild, of which 150 are found in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu.
- Others are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.
Significance:
They are an important part of the marine ecosystem, and their depletion will have effects all the way up the food chain.
- It consumes huge quantity of seagrass daily and helps in the growth of fresh vegetation. In the absence of dugongs, seagrass will grow densely and fish will not come to lay eggs.
Threats faced:
- Loss of seagrass habitats, water pollution and degradation of the coastal ecosystem due to developmental activities have made life tough for Dugongs.
- Dugongs are also victims of accidental entanglement in fishing nets and collision with boats, trawlers.
