What are manatees?
Manatees are large water animals. People sometimes call them "sea cows." They are
aquatic
mammals, like dolphins and whales. A close relative of the manatee is the dugong. Dugongs and manatees look very similar — they are the same size, colour and shape. Both animals have
flippers
. But the manatee has a round, flat tail. The dugong's tail looks more like a whale's tail. There are three types of manatee: the West Indian manatee, the African manatee, and the Amazonian manatee.
How does a manatee move?
Most mammals have seven bones in their neck. Manatees only have six. Because of this, a manatee cannot turn its head left or right. To look sideways, it must turn its whole body. Manatees use their flippers to help them turn. They also have a tail to push themselves through the water. Manatees have some short hairs on their skin. These hairs help them feel movements in the water around them.
What do manatees eat?
Manatees eat mostly plants that grow in the water, like
seagrasses
. They spend about eight hours every day eating. Each day, they eat up to 15% of their body weight. African manatees also eat some fish and shellfish. West Indian and Amazonian manatees only eat plants. Manatees do not have front teeth. Instead, they use their
lips
like hands to pull plants from the bottom of the sea.
How do manatees breathe?
Manatees live in water, but they must come to the surface to breathe air, just like all mammals. When they are awake, they come up for air every 2–4 minutes. When they sleep underwater, they come up every 15–20 minutes. Scientists think manatees can also use their breathing muscles to control whether they float up or sink down in the water.
Where do manatees live?
The West Indian manatee is about 3.5 metres long and weighs around 500 kg. It lives in both fresh water and salt water — in rivers, lakes, and near the coast. The Florida manatee is one type of West Indian manatee. In winter, it stays in warm water because it cannot survive in cold water. The African manatee also grows to about 3.5 metres. It lives along the west coast of Africa and also goes into rivers in countries like Mali and Niger. The Amazonian manatee is smaller — about 2.5 metres long and 350 kg. It only lives in fresh water in South America.
Are manatees in danger?
Yes. All three types of manatee are in danger of disappearing. People killed about 140,000 Amazonian manatees between 1935 and 1954 for their meat and skin. Today, African manatees are still caught in fishing nets and hunted, but hunting is now illegal in all countries where they live. West Indian manatees are also at risk. Boats are the biggest cause of death for Florida manatees. To help, some parts of Florida now have laws to make boats go more slowly in winter, so manatees have more time to get away.