Marine Animal Welfare

Marine Welfare: Dugong Seagrass Loss and Feeding Welfare

Dugongs are marine herbivores entirely dependent on seagrass meadows for nutrition, making seagrass loss through coastal degradation a direct welfare threat.

Key Facts

Dugongs consume up to 30kg of seagrass daily, making habitat quality critical to their welfare
Seagrass meadows are declining globally due to coastal runoff, dredging, and climate change
Dugongs give birth to a single calf with a 3-5 year inter-birth interval
Starvation from seagrass loss causes prolonged suffering and death
Boat strikes are a major additional cause of mortality and injury in dugong populations

Welfare Considerations

Dugong welfare is directly linked to seagrass ecosystem health. Habitat degradation causes nutritional stress, prolonged hunger, and ultimately starvation. Conservation efforts protecting and restoring seagrass meadows have direct welfare benefits for individual dugongs as well as population-level conservation value.

What You Can Do

Support marine conservation organisations protecting seagrass ecosystems
Advocate for coastal development regulations that safeguard seagrass habitats
Reduce nutrient runoff from gardens and farms that degrades coastal waters