Dugong Seagrass Colouring Page

The dugong is a gentle marine mammal and the only strictly ocean-living herbivore among today's mammals. It inhabits warm, shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific oceans, from East Africa and the Red Sea across southern Asia to northern Australia and Pacific islands. Dugongs depend on healthy seagrass meadows, which is why they are often called sea cows. A fully grown animal may reach about 3 metres and weigh around 400 kilograms, although some are larger. Dugongs grow slowly, care for each calf for a long time, and can live for about 70 years. Unlike the related manatee's rounded paddle tail, a dugong has two pointed tail flukes rather like a whale. It swims by moving this tail up and down while steering with two paddle-shaped front flippers. The downturned snout is fringed with stiff bristles that find and pull up seagrass. As the dugong grazes, it may leave winding feeding trails across the sandy bottom. Nostrils on top of the snout allow a quick breath at the surface. Mothers usually have one calf after a long pregnancy, and the calf stays close for one to two years. Because dugongs reproduce slowly, boat strikes, fishing nets, and the loss of seagrass can be especially serious threats. The colouring page shows a dugong feeding peacefully with its whole body, flippers, fluked tail, and bristly mouth easy to see. Real dugongs are usually pale grey to brownish grey. Choose soft silver, warm grey, or grey-brown for the body, then add a slightly lighter belly and muzzle. Use short darker strokes around the bristles and gentle curved strokes to show the round body. Colour the seagrass with several greens, from lime to deep olive, and make the sand pale gold or cream. The small fish can be yellow, blue, or striped for contrast. Add light blue around the bubbles and soft turquoise between the sun-ray lines while leaving plenty of white space. Keep the flippers and tail smooth so the dugong's special swimming shape remains clear.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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