Dugongs are gentle marine mammals that depend entirely on seagrass meadows for food. Their welfare is threatened by habitat loss, boat strikes and entanglement across their Indo-Pacific range.
Dugong welfare is inseparable from seagrass ecosystem health. Food stress from seagrass loss forces dugongs to travel further and consume lower-quality vegetation, resulting in poor body condition and reduced reproductive success. Boat strikes cause acute trauma and chronic injuries that may be debilitating. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning or prolonged exhaustion. Without urgent seagrass restoration and boat speed regulations, dugong welfare will continue to deteriorate range-wide.