Dugong dugon
(Muller, 1776). Linne's Vollstand. Natursyst. Suppl., p. 21.

©2002 (photo by R. Banasiak & P. Lai)

ORDER—SIRENIA
FAMILY—Dugongidae

COMMON NAME—Dugong.

DISTRIBUTION—Tropical coasts of Indian and Pacific oceans. Existing reports and interviews suggest that dugongs previously were present throughout the Philippine Archipelago. Areas in the Philippines known to have had dugongs include Mindoro, Zambales, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Manila, Cebu, Zamboanga, Tacloban, Panay Island, Sulu Archipelago, Catanduanes, Masbate, Polillo Island, Bicol Region, Iloilo, Balut Island in Sarangani Bay, Palanan in Isabela, Agusan del Norte, Samar, Aparri, Mati in Davao del Sur, Misamis, Cuyo, Pangasinan, Bataan, and Cavite (Yaptinchay, 1994). More recently, this species has been recorded from Culion (FMNH), El Nido, (Kataoka, 1987, in Yaptinchay, 1994), Shark Fin Bay, Taytay, Palawan; Calauit Island and Gutob Bay, Busuanga (Trono et al., 1993, in Yaptinchay, 1994). Reported in ca. 1991 from northeastern Luzon (Danielsen et al., 1994). In Romblon Province and Bicol (southern Luzon), interview respondents confirmed presence and exploitation of dugongs (Yaptinchay, 1994). A calf was stranded in Romblon Province in May 1993 (Yaptinchay, 1994).

HABITAT—Shallow tropical seas with abundant sea-grass.

STATUS—Has been heavily exploited in the Philippines, almost to extinction. CITES: Appendix I. IUCN: Vulnerable. U.S. ESA: Endangered.

COMMENT—Until the late 1970s, dugongs were reported present in most of the areas mentioned above. Today, Palawan is the only place in the Philippines where reports are regularly received and confirmed (Yaptinchay, 1994).

©2002 (R. Banasiak)

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©2002 Heaney et al., Mammals of the Philippines
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