What Do Dugongs Eat? - Kylon Powell

The massive mammals of the water – dugongs have specialist feeding habits.

In other words, dugongs are found in the water where there is an abundance of seagrass.

And that food item is the most preferred diet item for dugongs.

This is because dugongs are herbivores, though they may consume other items when seagrass is scarce.

To find out what other foods make up their menu, we’ll look at “what do dugongs eat?”

Dugongs possess a fierce appearance, which makes them appear like carnivorous mammals.

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Surprisingly though, dugongs aren’t carnivores.

However, certain species of dugongs that are found in other parts of the world, especially in Australia, feed on animals.

That said, dugongs eat meat and fish if they happen to inhabit areas where there is a seagrass shortage.

The animals that dugongs eat are fishes, crustaceans, sea squirts, mollusks, and jellyfish.

They might also ingest other aquatic organisms found on the seafloor.

Dugongs would go to any lengths to forage for their preferred diet item called seagrass.

Using their keen sense of smell, herbivorous dugongs can detect the plant of seagrass.

Hence, dugongs eat seagrass, seaweed, algae, and other plants if they can’t seem to spot seagrass.

Dugongs actively forage for seagrass, which once found, is devoured from roots to its entirety.

This preference for their favorite food makes them travel as deep as they can go.

Dugongs typically rely on seagrass and their plants.

However, when it is not available in their habitats, they have to resort to other alternatives.

Hence, dugongs eat fish, shellfish, jellyfish, crustaceans, and algae other than seagrass.

How much do dugongs eat a day?

Having the appetite like other mammals, dugongs eat as much as 35-40kg of food a day.

They might seem aggressive, but dugongs don’t eat humans.

And of course, you won’t find them feeding on certain fishes.

That means, dugongs don’t eat clownfish or other similar specimens.