dugong

Everyday

A dugong is a large, gentle sea mammal with a whale-like tail that grazes on seagrass in warm shallow seas, like a sea cow. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on marine animals, endangered species and Australian wildlife; related to the manatee; old sailors' stories of mermaids may come from dugongs.

Examples

• The dugong munched seagrass in the shallow water. tree →
• Dugongs live in the seas around northern Australia. tree →
• A dugong is a mammal, so it breathes air. tree →
• Dugongs are protected because they are endangered. tree →
• Sailors may have mistaken dugongs for mermaids. tree →

Note

Countable. It is a mammal, not a fish. Different from a manatee: a dugong has a fluked tail like a dolphin; a manatee has a round, paddle-like tail.