The dugong is an aquatic animal of large size, greyish-white and herbivore. Exceed 3 meters in length, weighing between 400 and 500 kg is a mammal, and in spite of his life takes place completely at sea, like all cetaceans is forced to rise to the surface periodically for air.

The dugong is related to the myth of the sirens (so as to be ranked in the order of Sirenia) because of the characteristics of two breasts of the female, placed in position breastplate. When the female emerges holding in her arms the baby who is breast-feeding, maternal figure resembles a human.
It is believed that the mythical sirens, beings from the bust of a woman and the tail of a fish which many legends refer, are nothing more than groups of dugongs seen from a long distance and sailors too long away from the mainland.

The myth of the sirens is as old as are dugongs, whose remains have been found dating back to 6000 years ago in Akab Island. The analysis of the animal has revealed that it was left unchanged for a long evolution. The only surviving species of dugong is therefore now considered protected, despite the illegal hunting or fishing careless they are slowly causing complete estinzione.Un time dugongs were also prevalent in the Mediterranean Sea.
