There is sad news, as it has been announced that the dugong has become functionally extinct in China. The dugong is a marine mammal.
Dugongs were declared extinct in China after no sighting had occurred of the dugong in China since 2008.
The announcement of the dugong becoming extinct came from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who discovered that the dugong was now sadly extinct in China.
These cute animals are the first large mammal to become extinct in China's coastal water. Before 2008, the dugong was declining since the 1970s onwards.
Dugongs still exist in other parts of the world, however, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction. There are several reasons why they are vulnerable to extinction, as they face several threats to their existence, these threats are -
. Fishing
. Being hit by ships
. And, human caused habitat destruction
Resolving the threats that dugongs face in the wild is important if these beautiful animals are going to be saved from extinction.
Some Facts About Dugongs
They are also known as sea cows.
They have inspired stories about mermaids.
They are herbivores, that eat sea grass and algae.
Dugongs are closely related to manatees.
And, dugongs are the last species of the Dugongidae family left.
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