Why Dugongs Look Like Ocean Floor Vacuum Cleaners

The undersea world is an amazing one. There are countless species beneath the surface, all engaging in fascinating activities that you have to see to believe. Case in point: the dugong. As you’ll see in this amazing YouTube video, dugongs are famous for moving along the ocean floor like vacuum cleaners, appearing to suck up debris found there. But is that what it’s really doing? Let’s discover more about the dugong and why it engages in that particular behavior.

What is a Dugong?

More than just a dugong vacuum cleaner, this species is an incredibly intelligent and peaceful creature that is often found in the coastal waters of the Pacific, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and other areas along Australia and East Africa. The dugong is an interesting animal with ties to many other species. At about three meters in length and weighing over 400 kg, its large stature makes it more closely related to elephants than to dolphins and whales. It’s often referred to as the “sea cow” because of its grazing behavior on the ocean floor. Dugongs can live up to 70 years, and females only give birth every 3–7 years. Dugongs have poor eyesight but compensate with exceptional hearing. They communicate through physical touch and sounds, and even ‘sing’ to each other using barks, whistles, and chirps.

Dugong Vs. Manatee

The dugong is similar to the manatee. However, it’s a different species. There are several differences between the dugong and the manatee. Manatees have paddle-shaped tails, while dugongs have fluked tails similar to those of whales. Dugongs have bristled snouts, whereas manatees have whiskered snouts. Dugongs and manatees also live in different regions. African manatees inhabit the west coast of Africa, while West Indian and American manatees are found in coastal waters from Florida to Brazil.

The Dugong Diet

Despite their differences, dugongs and manatees share some similarities: both live in warm, coastal waters and have remarkably good hearing. Finally, they’re both herbivores, meaning that they primarily eat plants, so they have similar diets. 

What’s Happening in the Video?

In the video, the dugong is rooting for grass with its sensitive snout. What appears to be a dugong vacuuming the ocean floor is actually a dugong eating. It grazes on underwater grasses day and night, using its sensitive snout to find grass and its rough lips to pull it into its mouth. In the video, the dugong is rooting for grass with its sensitive snout. When it finds grass, it pulls it into its mouth with its rough lips and eats it. The upper lip is also very flexible, which allows it to eat entire plants at once. When the grass supply is depleted, the dugong moves to new feeding grounds, leaving behind furrows or ‘feeding trails’ in the sand.

Because most grasses and plants are low in nutritional value, dugongs must graze for up to eight hours a day, consuming up to 15% of their body weight—about 30 kg of seagrass daily. Their simple stomachs make digestion difficult, so their diet consists mostly of plants. As the video mentions, the dugong moves slowly, using its tail and front flippers to travel at about six miles an hour. You could go underwater and watch a dugong grazing on grass for upwards of six minutes at a time until it needs to come up for air. If you watch long enough, you may see the dugong “standing” upright on its tail with its head above water as it takes in a breath. Since dugongs are generally solitary, you’re most likely to see just one at a time. However, you can sometimes see them in pairs or even larger groups, especially during mating season.

Are Dugongs Endangered?

While the idea of a ‘dugong vacuum cleaner’ is amusing, the sad reality is that dugongs are considered vulnerable to extinction. Threats to the dugongs include changes in water quality, coastal development, and fishing practices. Although dugongs are not directly targeted, they can become entangled in fishing nets, which can lead to accidental drowning. Like manatees, dugongs are often victims of boat strikes and injuries from propellers. The point is that these are majestic creatures that deserve a chance to live, so please be careful with boats and other potentially dangerous water activities. If you enjoyed the video we shared, look online for more fun pictures and incredible videos of dugongs in the wild. Check them out and learn more about the amazing undersea world.