Dugong
MAKER : Janet Gibson
FOUNDRY : ORE AND INGOT
PATINA : Abigail Burt
SPECIES INFORMATION
The Dugong
The Dugong is an aquatic herbivore mammal whose name comes from a Malay word meaning ‘Lady of the Sea’. Dugongs belong to the ‘Sirenia’ order which in turn is the Greek word for ‘Mermaid’. Legend had it that sailors delirious from long voyages mistook them for fish tailed females swimming in the sea.
Interestingly, they are more related to Elephants than any other sea creature, and are commonly called sea cows as they use their top lip to graze the grass off the sea bed. They can grow up to 4 metres long, weighing 270kg and can live up to 70 years.
These are vulnerable animals, with many populations close to extinction. Loss of habitat and degradation of sea grass from industrial activities pollute their waters, and they are often victims of ‘Bycatch’ from the fishing industry. Its close companion ‘The Stellar Sea Cow’ is already extinct due to hunting in the 18th century.
What’s not to love about Dugongs
The dugong and Sea Grass conservation project aims to protect Dugongs and their Seagrass ecosystems in 8 countries around the world, namely Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.
