In general, the decline of dugongs in East Malaysia is evident. Apparently, not many dugongs were sighted during the aerial surveys. The majority of the fishermen and coastal villagers interviewed stated that the number of dugong has dropped significantly over the years and the animals are no longer, or only very rarely seen in areas where they were once common. In addition, it is safe to assume that the number of dugong strandings, incidental catches in fisheries and traditional huntings is higher than the figures obtained here. All these information concluded that dugongs are still present in the East Malaysia, at least around Sabah. Nevertheless, the population is scattered, in a very low density, estimated to be roughly below 200 individuals, and is facing anthropogenic threats that will continue to push the population to the brink of local extinction. Therefore, dedicated efforts to educate the publics and the implementation of realistic conservation management strategies should be given high priority to avoid further decrease to the population.