Dugong in Indonesia: The Seagrass Grazer of Eastern Seas
Dugongs in Indonesia are shy marine mammals that feed on seagrass in warm, shallow coastal waters. They occur across the archipelago, from Sumatra and Java to Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, but their distribution is patchy. A trip to a reef or island is not a reliable way to see one: the useful first question is whether the coast supports seagrass and whether there have been recent sightings nearby.
The Indonesian name is duyung; the species is Dugong dugon. It is a protected animal. For visitors, the practical approach is to treat a sighting as an uncommon wildlife encounter, keep clear of the animal and its feeding ground, and never ask a boat crew to pursue or corner it.
Dugongs in Indonesia live where seagrass can grow
Dugongs are herbivorous marine mammals in the order Sirenia. They graze on seagrasses, flowering plants rooted in the seabed, rather than on seaweed or coral. Their feeding habitat is therefore not simply “the reef”: it is a shallow coastal meadow with suitable plant species, water conditions and access to the bottom. A clear-water snorkelling site can have impressive coral and still be a poor place to look for dugongs.
Seagrass is easy to overlook from a boat. It can form broad, low meadows on sheltered flats, occur in mixed patches with sand, or grow in intertidal areas exposed at low tide.
The connection matters because the dugong depends on a food source that is fixed to a particular seabed. If a meadow is damaged by sediment, coastal construction, pollution or destructive fishing, the animal cannot simply switch to an equivalent feeding ground nearby. Seagrass also supports other coastal life and stores carbon in its plant material and underlying sediments, so protecting it has benefits beyond one mammal.
Where dugongs have been recorded around the archipelago
Dugongs live in coastal waters around Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua. This broad range should not be mistaken for an even distribution. Sightings are uneven, and a sighting in a province does not mean the animal is readily visible from its beaches.
Several locations help explain the variety of Indonesian settings involved. Intertidal seagrass grazing has been seen in East Aru and the Moluccas, and shallow-meadow feeding around the Lease Islands in Maluku. In East Kalimantan, dugongs and seagrass beds are found around Balikpapan Bay at places including Kariangau and Muara Berenga. These are habitat areas, not advertised wildlife-viewing sites.
Batanta Island in Raja Ampat, within the Dampier Strait marine conservation area, is of genuine interest for where dugongs occur and what habitat they use, but it is not a guaranteed encounter route. On Bintan, strandings near Trikora’s Dugong Beach may point to a nearby movement area. A stranding is a conservation signal, not a sign that visitors can expect to see a live dugong there.
These examples are geographically spread and biologically different. Ambon’s intertidal feeding beds, a large bay in Kalimantan, islands in Raja Ampat and Bintan’s coastal meadows cannot be collapsed into one “dugong destination”. If planning around wildlife, assess the exact coast, the habitat and the recency of observations. A general map pin or an old photograph is not enough.
What a sighting involves, and why it is difficult to predict
A dugong may surface briefly to breathe, then descend to feed or travel. From a boat, a person may see only a back or snout breaking the surface; from shore, distance, glare and small waves can hide that moment altogether. Underwater visibility does not solve the problem if the animal is feeding elsewhere or has moved into deeper water. It is a large animal, but it is not a reef fish that remains in one viewing place.
Feeding traces may be more persistent than the animal itself. Grazing can leave narrow, cropped tracks through a meadow, and these show where dugongs have fed. They are not a signal to enter the meadow and search at close range. Wading or finning through shallow grass can disturb the habitat and reduce visibility, while an approaching swimmer can interrupt feeding or force the animal to move.
No responsible operator can promise an encounter, and sightings do not follow a dependable schedule. If a local guide mentions a recent sighting, treat it as a possibility rather than a booking condition. Choose the outing only if the wider experience remains worthwhile without the animal appearing.
How seagrass loss and human activity affect dugongs
The threats are connected. Dugongs use nearshore water where fishing, boats, settlements and coastal development are also concentrated. A net can entangle an animal; a boat can strike one; and the same coastal pressure can damage the meadow on which it feeds. Sediment and untreated runoff can reduce water quality, while dredging and reclamation can directly alter shallow seabed habitat.
Seagrass is not an interchangeable green patch. Different species occupy different depths and substrates, and the plants can respond differently to seasons and disturbance. Above-ground shoots and below-ground biomass do not always follow identical seasonal patterns. This is one reason a visitor should not infer habitat health from a brief glance at the water.
Fishing gear presents a separate risk. Dugongs move slowly and must surface to breathe, so entanglement can be fatal. Responsible wildlife practice means avoiding any activity that encourages a boat to cut across an animal’s path or that places swimmers in its feeding area. If a dugong appears near a boat, remain quiet, give it room to choose its direction and allow it to leave without following.
Indonesia lists the dugong as protected fauna, with the local name “duyung”. Visitors should not handle, capture, feed, touch, buy or keep any part of a dugong. Do not collect bones or other material from a beach, even if it appears old; leave the object in place and alert the relevant local authority or conservation personnel through a responsible local contact.
Seeing a dugong responsibly
If you are already on the water and a dugong surfaces, stay with the group and let the boat operator control the vessel safely. Do not ask for a closer pass, block its route, jump in, shout, use a flash, or touch it. The best view may be brief. A calm observation from a distance gives the animal the choice to continue feeding or move away.
Do not interpret a quiet patch of seagrass as an invitation to snorkel over it. In a shallow meadow, fins can strike shoots and stir sediment, and a diver who tries to get beneath a feeding animal can disrupt both the animal and the habitat. Follow any local area rules and the guide’s instructions; if the plan relies on chasing wildlife, decline that part of the outing.
If you find an injured, stranded or dead dugong, keep people and dogs back and do not push it into the water or attempt treatment. A large marine mammal can injure a rescuer, and an animal that appears exhausted may have an underlying condition. Report the location to the local marine or wildlife authority and pass on the time, approximate position and what you observed without sharing the animal’s location publicly in a way that could attract a crowd.
For travellers choosing between marine activities, a dugong encounter should remain a fortunate possibility rather than the sole reason to travel to a site. Compare the broader diving and snorkelling options in Bali if your plans are centred on Bali, and use the Labuan Bajo travel guide or Flores travel guide when deciding whether to add eastern Indonesia to a wider itinerary. These guides help with the travel geography; none can promise a dugong sighting.
Questions about dugongs in Indonesia
Where are dugongs easiest to see in Indonesia?
There is no national site where a visitor can count on seeing one. Places such as Ambon, Balikpapan Bay, Bintan and Batanta have dugong habitat or past observations, but that is not a reliable wildlife product. Ask about recent local sightings and whether the activity avoids disturbing seagrass, then make the decision on the outing’s other merits.
Are dugongs the same as manatees?
No. Dugongs and manatees are both sirenians, but they are different animals. The dugong is the species found in Indonesian coastal waters, and it is strongly associated with seagrass grazing. “Duyung” is the Indonesian local name used for the dugong; it should not be confused with a mermaid in a travel story.
Can I swim beside one if it appears?
Do not enter the water to approach it. Keep distance, avoid blocking its route and follow the boat operator’s safety instructions. A dugong choosing to pass through an area does not mean it is habituated to people or willing to interact.
Why does protecting seagrass help dugongs?
Seagrass is the dugong’s principal food and forms the shallow feeding habitat it depends on. Protecting the meadow keeps both the food and the seabed conditions in place. It also supports other coastal species, so seagrass conservation helps maintain a wider part of the nearshore ecosystem.
For more on this area, see Indonesian Wildlife: Animals of the Archipelago.
Related guides: dugong, epaulette shark.