DUGONG


Endangered Dugongs, or sea cows, were often perceived as mermaids by superstitious sailors because of their flattened fluke tails. Cutting swathes through the aquatic vegetation as they graze in herds, their distribution is closely related to their main source of food, seagrass. Seagrasses are the only flowering plants in the sea - their closest relative on land is the water lily. Seagrass meadows are usually found in shallow coastal waters, but also occur in clear waters down to 58m near Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef. They have extensive root systems and help to keep waters clear by 'anchoring' sediments on the sea floor. Many shallow water seagrass meadows are suffering from an overload of sediment, nutrient, heavy metal and herbicide pollution. Action is needed to reduce land-based pollution of seagrass meadows and Dugong habitat. They have had a dramatic decline in numbers in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area south of Cooktown. The current population is about 3% of its former level. At the turn of the century vast numbers of Dugong were slaughtered for their oil. The ability of the Dugong to recover is severely limited by their very slow breeding rates as the female produces one calf every three to six years and their vulnerability to small-scale environmental degradation.

The 'Fantasea Collection' wildlife design by Susy Boyer portrays the beauty of the peaceful & shy Dugongs grazing the seagrasses, graceful swimmers with a chirpy call earning them the nick name of the 'sea canary'. The Spotted Eagle Ray & Horned Sea Stars, the Hawksbill Turtle & Sea Horse surrounded with pigface flowers that grow along the sandy beaches. The design creates an awareness of our endangered sirenians.

Fantasea Collection