Encounter with an Dugong while diving in the tropical waters of the Red Sea near Marsa Alam in Egypt
Encounter with an Dugong while diving in the tropical waters of the Red Sea near Marsa Alam in Egypt. Dugongs are referred to as "sea cows" because their diet consists mainly of sea-grass. They are particular about their diets, with certain "fields" of sea-grass being regularly cropped. Unlike manatees, dugongs are exclusively benthic, or bottom, feeders. Their primary feeding mechanism is uprooting sea-grass by digging furrows in the seafloor with their snouts. Remoras or suckerfish grow to 30–90 centimetres long (1–3 ft), and their distinctive first dorsal fin takes the form of a modified oval sucker-like organ with slat-like structures that open and close to create suction and take a firm hold against the skin of larger marine animals. By sliding backward, the remora can increase the suction, or it can release itself by swimming forward. Remoras sometimes attach to small boats. The Red Sea is a salt water inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Red Sea has a surface area of about 438,000 km² (169,100 square miles ). It is roughly 2250 km (1398 mi) long and, at its widest point at 355 km ( miles) wide. It has a maximum depth of 2211 m (7254 ft) in the central median trench and an average depth of 490 m (1,608 feet ), but there are also extensive shallow shelves, noted for their marine life and corals. The sea is the habitat of over 1,000 invertebrate species and 200 soft and hard corals and is the world's northernmost tropical sea. Until very recently, Marsa Alam: was a small fishing village in Egypt, on the west coast of the Red Sea. However, it has rapidly increased in popularity, and since the opening of its International Airport in 2001, it has started to become yet another favourite holiday destination on the Red Sea Riviera. However, its airport is still small and, as of May 2007, had only one departure gate.
Size: 5250px × 3500px
Location: “Marsa Alam” “Red Sea” Egypt “Arab Republic of Egypt”
Photo credit: © Fotograferen.net / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: Yes
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