Today we are going to head to the farm to learn about cows. Okay, maybe that isn’t exactly correct. We are actually going to head to the sea to learn about Sea Cows. No, I am not being funny! The Dugong is often referred to as the sea cow. I don’t believe there are any farmers out there that have a herd of sea cows and use them to produce milk but I could be wrong.
The dugong is called a sea cow because it basically feeds the same way as a regular cow. The dugong will graze on underwater grasses by digging them up with their snout. The sea cow can grow to about 3 meters (6′) long and weigh up to 300 kg (600 lbs). In the wild they are able to live up to 70 years. Unfortunately, the dugong is the only remaining member of its once diverse family. Hunting has brought the dugong population into jeopardy, however, they have finally been protected throughout their range.
So do these “cows” have any special adaptations to allow them to graze along the ocean floor? Of course they do, I wouldn’t have asked the question if they didn’t. The first adaptation has to do with their snout which is turned downwards to allow the sea cow the ability to uproot their yummy grass salad. The liver of the dugong has also evolved which actually removes all of the salt from the plants that it consumes. Another unique adaptation is the weight of their bones. Unlike humans the dugong has little to no marrow in their bones. These solid bones actually acts as a ballast which allows them to stay suspended just below the water surface. Just so you know the bones of the dugong are among the densest in the world. I wonder if they use the excuse “I’m just big boned” after they put on a few pounds from eating too many Christmas goodies!
Dugong Fast Fact: It is believed that the dugong may be responsible for starting the myth about mermaids. I wonder why Disney didn’t go with The Little Dugong instead of the The Little Mermaid.
“I’m just big boned”…oh Nathan how lame (ha, ha)…where do you think of these things . He sure is cute. Last night you just said “Dugong” not “Sea Dugong” or I would have known the type of animal.
Good post!
That is not lame… that is funny! Okay, maybe a little lame.
Would you have known if I said it was a Sea Cow?
This is a very informative post. I never knew much about dugong tho I’ve seen one before – a baby dugong. Hmm.. “The Little Dugong”? Makes me think of Quasimodo or maybe Quasimodo’s not so ugly brother.. LOL!
Awww! You saw a baby dugong! Where did you see it? That would have been quite interesting.
Quasimodo’s not so ugly brother… LOL! Just look at all of the Disney sequels we could make here. I think they will be instant classics.
Thanks for stopping by Wild Facts!
I want to compare this fellow to one similar we saw in Florida – you were with us Nathan. I can’t think what the name was, (senior moment).
Just a big lovable sea creature.
As an aside, any ideas what I could tempt a cricket with to catch him.
He’s found a nice warm haven in our laundry room and he’s making quite a racket. Riley almost got him last night, but he jumped at the last minute. These guys aren’t black either, they’re a light beige colour. New to me, I’ve only seen black ones till now.
Hi Aunt Bev,
I believe you are thinking of the Manatee which is similar to the dugong. The manatee and the dugong are part of the same order so they are related. You can find a picture of a Manatee at this link http://scienceblogs.com/retrospectacle/manatee.bmp
As far as the pesky cricket! My guess is you have a house cricket, which are usually a yellowish-beige colour. The field cricket are usually the black ones that you see. The house cricket lives outside during the summer but seeks refuge in the winter, which is why it is living in your cozy home. As far as attracting the cricket. They tend to eat fruits and vegetables. I have heard of people putting a little bit of pesticide on a lettuce leaf so that might work. As well, I believe you may be able to buy some “pesticide” type sprays for the house. I wouldn’t recommend using these pesticides in the house though. Especially, if there are only one or two crickets.
Your best bet is probably to arm yourself with a fly swatter or a vacuum and follow the sound. Other than that, I am not too sure what else you can do. I hope this helps and please don’t hesitate to ask more questions if you think of anything else.
He sure is cute. I’ve heard of the name of the animal before, I’ve just never actually seen it.
There is something cute about this big sea creature, isn’t there? I find they just look so innocent and harmless!
Have a great weekend Anml_lvr! Hopefully you don’t have too much homework and you can get out and enjoy the fresh air.
Our fresh air is cold. We even got a little snow last night! But it was a slight dusting. And I don’t have too much homework, just World History Honors. That little guy with the mustache is so cute, but I’m so confused with your metric system. My science teacher is trying to get us to use the metric system, because we are the only place that doesn’t use it (I’m in the US of A) but I don’t want to learn it. It’s confusing!
Glad to hear you had some snow! Christmas is just around the corner so some white stuff in the air is a must!
So you don’t like the metric system, eh? I think my generation is messed up since we mix the metric and the imperial systems. For example, I prefer to measure weight in pounds but I will measure volume in litres or millilitres. I suppose it is a good idea to have knowledge of both.
I hope you had a great weekend.
Nathan, so the dugong is related to the Manatees, I saw near Tampa a few years ago. Did I miss your post on the Manatee?
Hi Agapelife,
I don’t think I have done a Wild Fact on the Manatee. I am sure we will all see one before we get to Wild Fact #1.
The Dugong and Manatee are definitely related and both belong to the same Order (Sirenia). This order is often referred to as Sea Cows and only contains four animal species which include the Dugong and three different Manatee species.
That is pretty cool that you were able to see some Manatees. They really are beautiful giants.
WOW! Thanks for all the info! I now understand these beautiful magestic animals!!!!
we need more imformation