Dugong Calf Skeleton
The dugong (duyong, baboy dagat) is a marine mammal. It gives birth to a live young and produces milk for its calf. A dugong calf is born a little over one meter in length with a weight of 25-30 kilograms. Dugongs have dense bone structures and their spines are made of 57-60 vertebrae. The skull is unique for its down-turned rostrum, an adaptation of feeding on seagrass.
They live in wide, shallow, and protected coastal areas with seagrass beds in tropical and sub-tropical countries. A female dugong gives birth to only one calf every three to seven years. She nurses her young for about 18 months, and they stay close together.
Dugongs used to be found in all coastal areas in the Philippines, now they are considered vulnerable, they can only be found in a few spots in the country such as Coron Palawan, Bugat Island, Saranggani, and Mati, Davao.
The major threats to dugongs are hunting, an accidental catch in fishing gear and habitat loss and degradation.
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Reference:
National Museum of the Philippines
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