Photo Feature
Studying Dugongs
<p>Studying dugongs is challenging, as they are not surface-active like other marine mammals such as dolphins, that can often be acrobatic when they surface while ‘porpoising’ or breaching. Unlike dolphins and most other cetaceans, dugongs also lack a dorsal fin. Only their nostrils are visible when they surface to breathe every three to eight minutes. Essentially, their lives are spent underwater, which is why spotting dugongs is difficult practically if only relying on boat-based surveys.</p>
<p><strong>Photo: Darius Quadros.</strong></p>