Marine Life

Welfare of Dugongs and Sea Cows

Dugongs and manatees are vulnerable aquatic mammals facing welfare threats from boat strikes, entanglement, habitat loss, and cold stress.

Key Facts

Dugongs are found across the Indo-Pacific, manatees in the Atlantic and Caribbean
Boat propeller strikes cause severe injuries and death — scarring is used to identify individuals
Manatees require warm water above 20 degrees Celsius and gather at power plant outflows in winter
Seagrass habitat loss reduces food availability causing nutritional stress
Both species are slow-moving and unable to avoid fast-moving vessels

Welfare Considerations

Dugong and manatee welfare is shaped primarily by human-caused threats. Boat strikes cause traumatic injuries — propeller lacerations visible on the majority of adult manatees in Florida. Cold stress in manatees that cannot reach warm water causes cold stunning — a condition in which animals become lethargic and vulnerable to hypothermia. Seagrass loss forces animals to travel further for food, increasing energetic stress and vessel encounter risk.

What You Can Do

Reduce boat speed in manatee and dugong habitat zones and observe no-wake requirements
Support seagrass conservation programs in dugong range countries
Donate to manatee rescue and rehabilitation organizations in Florida and the Caribbean
Advocate for vessel speed restrictions in critical dugong and manatee habitats