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The rare and gentle 'sea cow' — a placid marine mammal that grazes the seagrass meadows of bays like Abu Dabbab, and one of the most magical creatures to meet in the Red Sea.«بقرة البحر» النادرة الوديعة — ثديٌّ بحري هادئ يرعى مروج الأعشاب البحرية في خلجانٍ كأبو دباب، ومن أكثر المخلوقات سحرًا للقاءٍ في البحر الأحمر.
Among the most magical creatures a snorkeller or diver can hope to meet in the Red Sea is the dugong — the gentle "sea cow." A large, placid, plant-eating marine mammal, the dugong grazes peacefully on underwater seagrass meadows, and is famously elusive and rare. Egypt's southern bays, especially Abu Dabbab near Marsa Alam, are among the best places in the world to encounter one — an unforgettable meeting with a true ocean gentle giant.
من أكثر المخلوقات سحرًا التي يأمل غاطسٌ أو غوّاص أن يلتقيها في البحر الأحمر الأطومُ — «بقرة البحر» الوديعة. وهو ثديٌّ بحري كبير هادئ عاشبٌ، يرعى بسلامٍ مروج الأعشاب البحرية تحت الماء، ومشهورٌ بندرته ومراوغته. وخلجان مصر الجنوبية، خاصّةً أبو دباب قرب مرسى علم، من أفضل أماكن العالم للقائه — لقاءٌ لا يُنسى مع عملاقٍ وديع من عمالقة المحيط.
The Gentle Sea Cow · بقرة البحر الوديعة
A peaceful marine grazer.راعٍ بحريٌّ مسالم.
The dugong is a large marine mammal, a relative of the manatee, that can reach around three metres long. Entirely herbivorous, it spends its days slowly grazing on seagrass, surfacing now and then to breathe. Gentle, slow-moving, and harmless, with a rounded body and a fluked tail, the dugong has a calm, almost dreamlike presence underwater. Sailors of old, glimpsing them nursing their young, are even thought to have inspired legends of mermaids — a charming myth for such a placid creature.
Abu Dabbab & the South · أبو دباب والجنوب
Seagrass bays of Marsa Alam.خلجان الأعشاب في مرسى علم.
Dugongs depend on healthy seagrass meadows, and the sheltered bays around Marsa Alam in the southern Red Sea are famous for them. The shallow bay of Abu Dabbab is the best-known spot, where a resident dugong or two have made the bay one of the few reliable places on Earth to snorkel with these animals. Because they feed in shallow water, even snorkellers — not just divers — have a real chance of witnessing a dugong gliding gently over the seabed.
A Rare Privilege · امتيازٌ نادر
A sighting to treasure.مشاهدةٌ تُعتزّ بها.
Seeing a dugong is never guaranteed — they are rare and wild — which makes an encounter all the more special. When one appears, the rules are simple and vital: keep your distance, stay calm, and never chase, crowd, or touch it. A frightened dugong will simply leave, and harassment can drive them from a bay for good. Observed quietly and respectfully, a grazing dugong, sharing its bay with green turtles, is one of the most moving sights in the sea.
Protecting Dugongs · حماية الأطوم
Gentle, and in need of care.وديعٌ بحاجةٍ إلى رعاية.
Dugongs are vulnerable and declining globally, threatened by the loss of seagrass habitat, boat strikes, and disturbance. Egypt's small Red Sea population is precious, and protecting their seagrass bays — and giving the animals space — is essential to their survival. Responsible, low-impact tourism, which values the dugong alive and undisturbed, is part of how these gentle sea cows can continue to graze the Red Sea's meadows for generations to come.
Quick Facts · حقائق سريعة
Sources include marine-life and Red Sea conservation references. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.