By Chase Sheldon
Sailors of old used to tell tales of mermaids and sirens that called out to them from misty shores and shoals, enticing them to their doom as they traveled and drove their ships onto the rocks. These same stories have continued to this day, evolving and changing, but their core has never been lost. Nor the origin of these stories themselves, because it wasn't mythical monsters that called out and drove men mad. Instead, manatees and dugongs were responsible for many of the tales of sirens and mermaids and other mysterious mythical creatures of history.
Manatees and dugongs belong to the Sirenian order, literally named after the sirens of myth, and many of the traits are incredibly similar. Only five known members of the order Sirenian still continue to live amongst us today, including the manatee and dugong. Both are large and long and gray, and often weigh up to five hundred kilograms or more. They both have elephant-esque trunks and long graceful fins, and most importantly, both are gentle giants who mostly live on a diet of undersea flora, seagrasses and other plants. Of course, they also eat shellfish and dead fish, should they have the opportunity, but are for the most part, consummate herbivores. There are some noticeable differences though, to the observant eye. The easiest to notice is the locations of their homes. Manatees live in both fresh and saltwater, and inhabit the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, while dugongs are solely found in the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Dugongs also have large and broad trunks that come down over their lower lips, while manatees' snouts curl in before their lower lip, and have very recognizable whiskers about their face. Manatees are also Much larger on average, outsizing and outweighed dugongs by a hefty margin. One of the easiest ways to tell manatees and dugongs apart however, would have to be their tails. Dugong tails are shaped in the same way as a whales’ are, fluked and graceful. Manatee tails are thicker and stubbier, a single powerful paddle.
The legends of mermaids and sirens calling out to sailors in dangerous waters may be false. But the creatures that spawned them are entirely real, and powerful sights to behold. they feed and play in the same waters as many dive sites around the world. Watching them glide and push through the water, feasting on the undersea growth can show you how majestic the waters of the world are. Unfortunately, some members of the sea cow family are in danger of extinction, so its important to keep yourself educated and learn what you can do to help.
Join us at Caradonna Adventures, and learn more manatees, dugongs, and all the incredible diversity that the oceans of the world have to offer.
Image Credits Brandon Cole.