Behavioral and Biophysical Studies of Dugong (Dugong dugon) Habitat in Waters Mali Beach, Kabola District, Indonesia.

Abstract

Abstract Dugongs are generally shy animals, so observing their existence is very limited to hundreds of meters. In contrast to the behavior of Dugong who lives in the coastal waters of Mali, Kabola Regency, Indonesia. Its uniqueness can interact with humans at a very close distance and can even be on the back. It is, therefore, necessary to explore other behavioral patterns and habits and biophysical habitats of Dugongs as information to maintain their survival. This research aims to find out the behavior and biophysics of dugong habitat in the coastal waters of Mali, Kabola Subdistrict, Indonesia. The study uses direct observation methods in the form of observing the characteristics and biophysical conditions of dugong habitats including (1) determining dugong activity areas using GPS coordinates; (2) observe habitat characteristics and biophysical conditions by observing biotic and abiotic conditions, and (3) measuring physicochemical parameters, namely temperature, salinity, and pH. Next, to observe the daily behavior of dugongs when interacting with their habitat environment in the form of time: breathing, going around the boat, swimming at the bottom, swimming on the surface, swimming in the water column, resting at the bottom, eating and exposing the back. In the observations, dugongs swimming around the ship immediately responded and then approached and rubbed his body to the leg then through the pectoral fins that tried to hug to get a leg on the model being tested. Then turn under the boat and remove the penis. In general, the biophysical conditions of sandy and dense habitats are overgrown with seagrass.