Two brave fishermen from the Philippines began the year by saving the life of a trapped dugong or sea cow, the ancient sea mammal generally credited with being the origin of the mermaid myth. Manila, ...

Dugongs also feature in Southeast Asian folklore. They are often considered the inspiration for mermaids and people around the world developed cultures around dugong hunting. In languages like ...

Long regarded as Sirenas or Mermaids by the mariners of old, gentle Dugongs (Dugong dugon) inhabit shallow waters of the Coral Triangle, wherever seagrass is most abundant. Long regarded as Sirenas or ...

Explore the real-life inspirations behind legendary creatures like mermaids, Kraken, Pouakai, dragons, unicorns, and Roc. These mythical beings may have roots in actual animals like manatees, giant ...

The dugong, regarded as the inspiration for ancient seafaring tales of mermaids, is a mammal species that feeds mostly on seagrass. The waters around Japan’s southwestern Nansei Islands ...