Fact-finding mission

Encountering a dugong while diving or snorkelling is a truly special experience. But how many of these fascinating marine mammals still live along the Egyptian coast? Where do they stay, and what distances do they travel? Very little is known about this so far.

To learn more about the last dugongs in the Red Sea, marine biologist Professor Dr. Ralph Schill travelled to Egypt as early as 2025 with students from the University of Stuttgart. During this first fact-finding mission, the team exchanged information with local researchers and dive centres, reviewed the existing scientific publications and even had the special opportunity to encounter a dugong.

During two further trips to Egypt in 2026, numerous photos and videos of dugongs were taken. These recordings are currently being used as test material for a new method designed to recognise individual animals by their external features and tell them apart. In this way, we at DugongWatch want to find out where the dugongs stay and which movements they make along the coast.

In addition, historical museum material of dugongs from the 19th century was located. The animals came from the Egyptian Red Sea coast and had been collected and sent to Germany by the German physician and zoologist Carl Benjamin Klunzinger during his stays from 1864 to 1869 and from 1872 to 1875.

From these first research efforts, encounters and recordings, the idea for DugongWatch gradually took shape. At the same time, an international network of scientists formed to advise the project with their experience and expertise.