What Don't You Know About Dugongs and Manatees?

Manatees and dugongs may have a lot in common with each other, but they are distinctively different from other marine mammals. They are the only living members of the order Sirenia and the only mammals in the ocean that are strictly herbivores. Both sea cows are unfortunately also vulnerable or endangered in different regions due to habitat loss, pollution, and boat strikes. As more marine protected areas are created across the world, hopefully these floating boulders will continue to thrive.

#manatee #dugong #underwaterfootage #cuteoceananimal #seacows

[explodingexpy]

Dugongs are one of those animals i just want a giant plushie of to hug, they look so nice

[squeeblemcdeeble]

The difference: Manatee snoots are so boopable and cute. Dugong snoots are... a bit terrifying

[deku]

Every living thing on earth and in the ocean is a distant relative of elephants, but I see the point. I like this sort of crazy biology, like pointing out that hippos are more closely related to whales than to elephants, and goats are more closely related to whales than to humans, crazy biology

[DreamerRn]

I went to Puerto Rico and did snorkeling, these guys are like lawn mowers 😂

[lordkoan]

You can also tell them apart by trying to catch them in a pokeball

[bananabuttons]

They have little fish friends and are veggie!. Sailors used to have a rum allowance which must of been 👍 good stuff to imagine these chubby cuteys mermaids.

[MalusTmcraeensis]

Kinda like how the hippos relatives live in the ocean. Aka whales and dolphins.

[mozzarellatherat]

Nah that thing is not anything close to an elephant.

[sweeptheleg.]

So the Greek sailors mistook them for mermaids huh? How long were they at sea for? 😂😂

[omnigod]

Greek sirens were bird women, not mermaids.

[RoboLobster]

Manatees have nipples on their armpits, which is similar to elephants who have nipples near their front legs.

[gianni.santi.]

I thought they were one species all my life!

[just.a.tanuki]

don't let them find out what they did when they thought they were mermaids😅😅

[Sulaiman_Kabia_Official]

What about the Stellar Sea Cow? Is that just a different name for one of those, or is it an entirely different species?

[SerenaCentauri]

You’ve immediately lost all credibility with me. The Greek mythological sirens are birds with the faces of women. Why would you say “aka mermaids” when those two things are not the same. Sirens are not mermaids like popular depictions would have you believe. Sirens are bird women.