The Gross Reason These Fish Follow Dugongs _ Blue Planet III _ 4K _ BBC Earth
6 Video Views·Nov 6, 2026
Dugongs, also known as sea cows, spend up to ten hours a day grazing on tough seagrass. While they work hard for their meals, the remora fish that follow them around have found an unusual yet easier way to feed...
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A small bubble of flatulence signals
the main course is imminent.
Dugong
dung.
A dugong.
Weighing nearly half a ton,
it's no surprise that they're known as sea cows.
The fibrous blades are tough to digest,
so he feeds for 10 hours a day.
Not all share his
enthusiasm for hard graft.
Remora fish are freeloaders.
And they know a dugong is key to an easy meal.
After feasting for hours, an after-dinner nap is inevitable.
The remora sneak in,
latching on with a
head-mounted suction cup
for a banquet of dead skin
and parasites.
But the dugong has more to offer.
From an unusual
source, a small bubble
of flatulence,
Signals
the main
course is
imminent,
dugong
dung,
the dugong
can feed
in peace
for now.