A rare fish in the waters of Egypt… gives birth, nurses, and lives for 100 years
Egyptian divers have observed the appearance of a rare fish threatened with extinction in the waters of the Red Sea, specifically near the coasts of the city of Marsa Alam in the south of the country.
Divers documented the moments of the fish’s appearance, known as the “Dugong,” which lives for up to 100 years, in the Abu Dabbab area on the coasts of Marsa Alam in the Red Sea Governorate.
Scientists revealed that the fish feeds on seaweed, has a large mouth with two long tusks, and resides in the Marsa Mubarak area, 60 kilometers north of the city of Marsa Alam, next to turtles and dolphins. It also resides in the Abu Dabbab area and the vicinity of the city of Shalateen.
According to Professor Ashraf Sadek Mohamed, a marine fisheries expert at the National Institute of Oceanography in Hurghada, the “Dugong,” also known as the “Bride of the Sea,” is not like other fish; it is a known marine mammal in the Red Sea.
The “Dugong” breathes in the air, its skin is covered with hair, it lives in wide waters, gives birth, nurses, and can feed on marine plants, according to the expert.
He explained that it lives for a period ranging from 80 to 100 years, carries the fetus in its belly for 14 months, and cares for its offspring after birth for two years until they become self-reliant.
The “Dugong” consumes large amounts of grass daily, up to 40 kilograms, and fishermen call it “Al-Jild” (the skin). In the Arabian Gulf, it is called “Al-Atoum,” while another name for it is “Si Kawi.” Only this species remains, as the rest have become extinct.
