Dugongs belong to the order Sirenia and the family Dugonidae. They are air breathing marine mammals which spend most of their time in shallow areas feeding on Sea grass. This has led some to call them “sea cows”.
These amazingly big animals that can reach lengths of more than 3m and weigh up to 400kgs have round shaped bodies, covered with very thick and soft skin and are slate gray in colour. They have powerful fluked tails and small front flippers, which act like paddles to stabilize them when they swim. The forelimbs are also used for scratching, mouth-cleaning and supporting the body when resting on the sea bed. Dugongs are found in shallow, tropical marine coastal waters which support the plants they feed on and can also be observed in deeper water further offshore. Their geographical distribution is wide ranging, extending through the coastal and island waters of the Indo-West Pacific between 26° N and 27° S. The Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, which has an estimated population of 7310 dugongs, has the second largest concentration of dugongs after Australia. The waters off the Emirate of Abu Dhabi support about 40% of the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea population. They have no special season for mating which occurs during the whole year. The female gives birth, after a 14 month gestation period, usually to one baby, occasionally twins, in the shallow areas of the sea, close to the shores. The babies are able to swim immediately to the surface for their first breath. The mother takes care of the babies and still feeds them milk until they reach about18 months, even if they start to eat sea grass after the first three months. Dugong females have hummocks on the thoracic upper part of the body, a characteristic which initiated the speculation that they are the legendary mermaids.
This association has also been fuelled by the Dugong – The legendary mermaid! fact that dugongs keep their babies between their front fins, as humans do. They feed in groups, in the shallow waters close to shore and when a boat approaches they lift up the upper part of their body out of the water only, exactly like a person swimming. Sometimes long green stems hang from their heads which is why in some parts of the world there is the belief that mermaids have long green hair. Well, it is pure speculation, a story like many others but it is nice and funny and who knows, maybe the first sailors that saw them after months out at sea and missing their ladies, imagined they saw some humanoid female creatures… The order Sirenia includes four mammal species: three species of manatees of the family Trichechidae – (in the Amazon, West Africa and West Indies).
Sirenians descended from terrestrial mammals that lived in shallow grassy swamps during the Ecocene epoch around 58 million years ago. Their closest modern relative is the elephant. Imagine an island taken from mythical stories, with sparkling shallow waters, abundant sea grass beds and tall mangroves with extremely beautiful coral reefs – the perfect habitat for numerous creatures, including the Dugong. This island has the highest density of dugongs, per square meter, in the world! Bu Tinah! A truly amazing place on Earth! Bu Tinah Island, located around 130km West of Abu Dhabi, is a core area of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve – the first marine biosphere reserve in the region. This island is unique; in spite of the harsh temperatures and salinity, its habitats and species, including coral, sea grass, dugongs and sea turtles, continue to thrive, making the island an important location for climate change studies. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), which manages Bu Tinah Island, has recognized the importance and fragility of this site and has given it the highest level of protection with very strict preservation rules.
The Island is considered an exclusive wildlife zone in which human interaction is restricted to scientific research and no other human uses are permitted. This core area supports endangered species such as sea turtles, and the highest density of dugongs in the world. It is also a natural spawning and nursery ground for a variety of marine life and provides an important habitat for the survival of these species. Maintaining Bu Tinah Island and its surrounding waters in a natural and healthy state is critically important to preserving the overall marine environment of Abu Dhabi. Protecting the core area replenishes resources in surrounding areas and provides an important habitat for sustaining sensitive resources such as dugongs, marine turtles, coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, birds, fish and invertebrates. For the above reasons, public access and visits are not allowed. Help conserve this beautiful island by voting for Bu Tinah to become one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Visit the website www.butinah.ae for more information and how to vote.
Scientific data provided by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
