Dugong vs. Manatee: What's the Difference?
Dugongs and manatees look alike at first glance, but they are not the same animal. Their tails, snouts, habitats, diets, and social behavior all help tell them apart.
If you've found your way to our website, you probably know at least a thing or two about manatees. However, if you've ever heard of a dugong before, you might be a little confused about how these two animals are different.
A lot of people assume that because dugongs and manatees look so similar, they are in fact, the same animal with a different name. In fact, while dugongs and manatees are both members of the order Sirenia, they are entirely different species, as are the West Indian, Amazonian, and West African varieties of manatees.
Here, we'll break down some of the distinct differences in the dugong vs manatee so that you can correctly identify the two. You might even impress your friends with your dugong knowledge.
Quick Answer
The easiest way to tell a manatee from a dugong is to look at the tail. Manatees have a rounded paddle tail. Dugongs have a whale-like fluked tail with two lobes.
Physical Differences
While manatees and dugongs may look very similar, there are some key differences that make them distinguishable from each other. Two of the biggest differences are the tails and snouts of these two creatures.
Manatees have a rounded, flat tail shaped like a paddle with only one lobe. This tail is similar in appearance to a beavertail and moves up and down to help slowly propel the manatee forward. Dugongs, on the other hand, have a fluked tail, which means it has two lobes that join together in the middle.
The other main difference is the size and shape of the snout. Manatees have a relatively short, rounded snout with a divided upper lip that helps them to gather food at the surface of the water. Dugongs have a slightly longer, trunk-like snout with a mouth that turns downward. This is great for feeding off of the ocean floor.
Habitats
One major difference between the manatee and the dugong is their natural environment.
Dugongs live mostly in the shallow waters of East Africa to Australia, known as the Indo-West Pacific. Dugongs never leave saltwater and feed almost entirely on seagrass.
Manatees, on the other hand, can live in both freshwater and saltwater. While the Amazonian manatee lives in only freshwater, West Indian and West African manatees spend most of their time in saltwater but migrate into warmer freshwater sanctuaries when the weather gets colder.
Easy habitat comparison
Dugongs are saltwater seagrass grazers. Manatees are more flexible and may move through rivers, springs, bays, estuaries, canals, coastal waters, and freshwater areas depending on the species.
Social Differences
While manatees and dugongs both live relatively solitary lives, there are also some key social differences.
A manatee has an average lifespan of around 40 years and leads a polygamous lifestyle when it comes to partners. A male manatee will likely have several female partners. Once a female reaches maturity, she may give birth every two to five years.
Dugongs often live longer than manatees, with some reaching around 70 years. Unlike the earlier version of this article suggested, dugongs are not strictly monogamous. Their mating behavior may vary by region and population. In some areas, males compete for access to females, while in others they may gather in display areas during breeding season.
Female dugongs usually begin reproducing when they are mature and typically have a calf every few years. This slow reproductive rate makes dugong populations vulnerable when habitat loss, hunting, pollution, or boat strikes increase.
How Dugongs and Manatees Are Similar
Even though dugongs and manatees are different animals, they share several important traits. Both are gentle marine mammals, both are members of the order Sirenia, and both depend heavily on healthy aquatic habitats.
Both animals are herbivores that rely on underwater vegetation. Both move slowly, spend much of their time feeding, and face serious threats from human activity.
Dugongs and manatees both need:
- Clean water
- Healthy seagrass or aquatic plants
- Safe boating areas
- Protection from harassment
- Strong conservation efforts
Dugong vs Manatee: What You Should Know
While there are some key differences between the dugong vs manatee, there are still lots of similarities. One of the big similarities is unfortunately that both animals are threatened.
However, hopefully now with this new knowledge, you can learn more about how to protect both the dugong and the manatee so they can both continue to exist.
Both animals remind us how important healthy oceans, rivers, seagrass beds, and coastal habitats are. When those environments suffer, gentle species like dugongs and manatees suffer too.
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