Where is dugong found in the philippines

Issues and threats: Adults become sexually active when they are at least 9 years old and females give birth to calves only once every years. Thirteen months after mating, a single calf is born. Down to a few thousands. T he Dugong or sea cow is a large marine mammal belonging to a group of animals known as Sirenians because in ancient times sailors who saw sea cows mistook them for mermaids sirena. It is the only species in its family Dugongidae.

Manatees have paddle-shaped tails more like a beaver that moves vertically while swimming. The snout of a dugong is broad, short, and trunk-like. Manatees are naturally gentle and docile creatures, and they love human company, too. When you float in the water and encounter them, manatees will monitor your movements keenly and tolerate you.

If they sense that you are a danger to them, they will avoid you and move away. Manatees are calm and peaceful marine mammals that pose no danger to swimmers. In fact, they are curious animals that enjoy human interaction and are quite happy to relate with and be around humans. Though known for having one of the smallest brains, manatees are very intelligent.

Even though manatees have the lowest brain-to-body ratio of any marine mammal, a study found that manatees are as adept at experimental tasks as dolphins, one of the smartest animals on the planet.

It might seem strange to confuse a slow-moving, blubbery sea cow with a beautiful, fish-tailed maiden. The truth is that mermaids are entirely fictional. A more effective public awareness campaign is also necessary to enlist the help of locals who are usually the first to spot such incidents.

Dugongs are vital to the health of marine ecosystems. By feeding on seagrass, they help maintain the ecological health of seagrass beds which serve as food and habitat for other marine animals like pawikan sea turtles and small fish. The dugong is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN as a species "vulnerable to extinction" because of their slow rate of reproduction and unabated hunting of humans for its meat, oil, skin, and bones.

Under the law, it is illegal to kill, hunt, trade, transport, or possess threatened species and products derived from them like meat, bones, ivory, skin, and others. Violators face 6 to 12 years of imprisonment or a fine ranging from P, to P1 million. Pia Ranada is a senior reporter for Rappler covering Philippine politics and environmental issues.