Animals in Qatar A Complete Guide to Wildlife You Will Actually Find There

Dugong — The Sea Cow of the Arabian Gulf

Qatar's largest native marine mammal is the dugong. It is also one of the most ecologically significant animals in the entire Gulf region.

Adult dugongs grow up to three metres long and weigh more than 400 kilograms. They are herbivores. They graze on seagrass meadows in shallow coastal waters, consuming up to 40 kilograms of seagrass per day. Their feeding behaviour actually improves seagrass health by stimulating new growth, much the same way grazing helps terrestrial grasslands regenerate.

Qatar hosts the world's second-largest dugong population after Australia. The Arabian Gulf holds an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 dugongs. Qatar's shallow northwest waters are among the Gulf's most important dugong strongholds because of the extensive seagrass meadows there.

Researchers from Qatar University and ExxonMobil Research Qatar have documented herds of over 840 dugongs gathered in Qatari waters in a single observation. Researcher Mehsin Al-Ansi Al-Yafei described what he saw: gatherings of over 800 animals in one day, something not recorded anywhere else in the world.

These animals have lived in Arabian Gulf waters for more than 7,000 years. The dugong features as the mascot of the National Museum of Qatar. The town of Dokhan takes its name from the Arabic word for dugong. This animal is woven into Qatar's cultural identity.

The IUCN classifies dugongs as vulnerable to extinction globally. Qatar's conservation commitment to this species includes tracking programmes, seagrass habitat protection, and restrictions on activities that disturb feeding areas.