Dugong

Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC

Kabira Bay is part of one of the last significant dugong feeding grounds remaining in Japan, with seagrass beds of Halophila and Thalassia providing the primary food source for this Vulnerable marine mammal. Dugongs graze by ploughing furrows through seagrass with their muscular upper lip, leaving characteristic feeding trails visible across the bay floor. Sightings are most probable at dawn before dive boat traffic begins and are more frequent in the warmer months when seagrass growth is at its peak.