Dugongs have become the first large mammal to be declared functionally extinct in Chinese waters, according to research that blames widespread habitat loss for their demise. No sightings of the animals commonly known as “sea cows” have been reported since 2008, according to the joint study by the Zoological Society of London and  Chinese Academy of Sciences published on August 24, 2022. Dugongs are gentle giants that had frequented China’s southern waters for thousands of years and according to…