The Family Dugongidae is a group of fully aquatic, herbivorous marine mammals that includes the dugong (Dugong dugon) and the extinct Steller’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). Dugongids are part of the order Sirenia and are adapted to life in warm coastal waters, feeding primarily on seagrasses. They have streamlined, fusiform bodies, paddle-like flippers, and a horizontal tail fluke for swimming. Dugongs are slow-moving, gentle grazers with low reproductive rates, making them vulnerable to habitat loss, hunting, and human activity. They play an important ecological role by maintaining healthy seagrass beds, which support coastal biodiversity.