A dugong can grow up to three metres long and weigh as much as 500 kilograms – about the same as a grand piano! Despite their size, they are peaceful and slow. They drift along the seabed, pulling up sea grass with their muscular snout, and come up for air every few minutes because, like us, they breathe air.
Dugongs are closely related to elephants – scientists have found this by comparing their bones and DNA. Like elephants, they live a long time (up to 70 years), have strong family connections, and take very good care of their young. A baby dugong rides on its mother's back and stays with her for years.
Qatar's shallow, warm seas are full of the sea grass meadows that dugongs love. The government has set up protected areas to keep the sea grass healthy so dugongs have enough to eat. Researchers use special underwater cameras and drone flights to count and track the dugong population.