The Dugong, or “Sea Cow”, is a herbivorous marine mammal that is the last representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae. This social, seagrass feeding mammal can live for over 70 years in the wild. However, for anthropogenic reasons, their population is in decline and the Dugong is threatened by extinction. #WildlifeWednesday 🌏 | Science Channel

Once hunted, poached, and pushed to the edge of extinction, dugongs—our gentle sea cows—are finally making a comeback in the waters of Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. A recent Wildlife Institute of India survey estimates over 200 dugongs—India’s largest congregation of these vulnerable marine mammals—gliding gracefully through seagrass meadows they once lost. This rare revival didn’t happen overnight. It took: 💙 A 500 sq. km Dugong Conservation Reserve—India’s first. 💙 80 awareness programmes

This is a dugong 🤍 Gentle sea giants that can weigh up to 800 pounds, they are commonly called “sea-cows.” 🐮 Unfortunately, this species is threatened by sea grass habitat loss, which makes up most of their diet. 📹: dive_with_german_girl #seacow #conservation #diving #relaxing #satisfying | Animal Planet