Dugongs are entirely dependent on seagrass meadows for food, and the global decline of seagrass threatens both dugong population viability and the welfare of individual animals facing nutritional stress.
Dugongs in degraded seagrass habitats face chronic nutritional stress as they must travel further to find adequate food, expending more energy in pursuit of declining resources. Nutritionally stressed dugongs have lower reproductive success, reduced calf survival, and impaired immune function. Unlike terrestrial grazers that can shift diet, dugongs are obligate seagrass feeders with no dietary alternative. Protecting and restoring seagrass meadows through water quality improvement, reducing boat disturbance in seagrass areas, and controlling catchment runoff that causes turbidity are the most direct welfare interventions available for dugong populations.