How do dugongs reproduce in the sea?

Firstly, Dugongs are mammals that are slow at reproducing due to the fact that they don't sexually mature until they are 10 years of age, some not until 17. read more

Additionally, the slow rate of reproduction is due to the availability and quality of food (seagrass), which plays a key role in the reproductive cycles of Dugongs as they need nutrients to mature. So with habitat degradation as a result of human activity, the rate of reproduction has dropped to 5%. read more

They do not have a limitation to when they breed, they have a limitation to how often the female is able to carry a new baby. A female will give birth to a baby every 3-7 years. In dugongs, they do not reach sexual maturity until they are 9-10 years old and even sometimes not even until they are 15. read more

In the 1980s, it was estimated there could be as many as 4,000 dugongs in the Red Sea. The Persian Gulf has the second-largest dugong population in the world, inhabiting most of the southern coast, and the current population is believed to number c. 7,500. read more