Dugongs are similar in appearance and behavior to manatees, but their whale-like tail sets them apart. They have inhabited the southern waters of China for centuries and are said to have been mistaken for mermaids in the past. Known as the gentle giant of the sea, the dugong has a slow, laid-back manner. Weighing nearly half a ton, its diet is largely dependent on sea grass. There has been no evidence of dugongs in China since 2008 PA Research by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported that ship strikes, fishing and human-caused habitat loss, including a lack of seagrass for food, have seen the dugong population in Chinese waters decline fast paced.
