At SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium we are extremely lucky to have our resident dugong, Pig.
Pig was rescued from Forrest Beach in Northern Queensland in 1998, at just under a month old by Sea World Marine Park. Dugong calves stay with their mothers for at least 18 months so without Sea World Marine Park hand-raising him, he would not have survived.
The team at Sea World rehabilitated Pig and he was released back into the wild once he was old enough. Eight months later he was found again and had lost 30% of his body weight. He'd also been wounded from other male dugongs. It was then decided it would be best for Pig to stay in human care and have a dedicated passionate team looking after him.
Dugongs are listed as vulnerable to extinction. With the expansion of the commercial ports, dredging coastal areas, shark nets, natural disasters such as cyclones (and much more), the sea grass beds that are dugongs sole source of food, are being wiped out. In the last 30 years it is estimated that dugong populations has declined 90%.
Additional sizes and colours available:
- Large 23in plush in grey only, click here.
- Medium 17in plush in grey, click here.
- Medium 17in plush in pink, click here.
- Small 11in plush in pink, click here.