How can you not love the gentle giants of the sea?
They glide through the warm coastal waters around the Great Barrier Reef, calling out to each other in soft squeaks and whistles. They’re vegetarians of the sea.
Dugongs are often called sea cows. I suppose it’s because they spend their day grazing on seagrass like an all-you-can-eat buffet. It’s probably also because they have a soft, bovine-like appearance.
Did you know that dugongs play a very important role in maintaining healthy seagrass beds and marine ecosystems? All that grazing has a purpose.
However, these lovable sea creatures are under serious threat.
It’s a sad fact that dugong populations on the southern Great Barrier Reef are in long-term decline. Here are the reasons why:
❌ Climate change
❌ Bycatch in fishing nets
❌ Seagrass loss
❌ Declining water quality
❌ Habitat degradation from coastal development
These are all contributing to the shrinking population of our dugongs.
The Great Barrier Reef is still home to globally significant populations, and they are a key indicator of ecosystem health. We need to step up our conservation efforts to protect their habitats and their ecosystems.
It’s up to us to save them.
Will you donate to protect this gentle sea giant? We need to act before it’s too late.
All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible. Our important campaigns are not funded by Government grants, we are totally reliant on generous people like you to protect Australia’s oceans and the animals that call them home.