lifeunderthewaves:

The Dugongs of Marsha Shouna (Dugong dugon) by krismikael Dugongs are believed to be inspirations behind tales of mermaids and in parts of Indonesia they are considered reincarnations of women. The word “dugong” means lady of the sea. It’s herbivorous and feed uniquely on sea grass. Their numbers are very low and in some countries they are entirely depleted due to hunting, bycatch and habitat destruction. I was extremely lucky to encounter one in Marsha Shouna on the western coast of the Red Sea, once home to thousands of dugongs but now with very few individuals. The 100 km coastline along Marsa Alam had only seven dugongs left at the time of writing.

noaasanctuaries:

A mother and calf humpback whale glide through the surface waters in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

After a nearly 12-month gestation period, a female humpback whale gives birth to a single calf that she closely nurtures and feeds for six to 10 more months. While humans consume milk that is about two percent fat, the milk humpback whale moms provide to their calves is 45 to 60 percent fat! This rich milk helps calves grow and develop as their mothers lead them through the first months of life. 

(Image: J. Moore/NOAA, under NOAA Permit #15240)