Hh. Deiongh et al., OBSERVATIONS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF THE DUGONG (DUGONG DUGON MULLER, 1776) FROM WATERS OF THE LEASE ISLANDS, EASTERN INDONESIA, Bijdragen tot de dierkunde, 67(1), 1997, pp. 71-77
A small population of dugongs was discovered in coastal waters of the
Lease islands in eastern Indonesia. Studies on behaviour and feeding e
cology revealed information on the interaction with seagrass meadows,
modes of surfacing and submergence times and behaviour in the presence
of scuba divers. Regular concentrated feeding was observed in a grazi
ng sward at a subtidal monospecific Halophila ovalis meadow, confirmin
g earlier observations of regular recropping by dugongs of grazing swa
rds, covered by monospecific Halodule uninervis, inside an intertidal
multi-species meadow.