The West Indian manatee known to scientists as the trichechus manatus reminds me of an aquatic baby elephant. As adults, they can get to be approximately ten feet in length weighing anywhere from 1,500 to 2,200 pounds. Surprisingly, the ancestors of these incredible creatures were land mammals who walked on four legs; but that was over 60 million years ago. Manatees today remain in the water at all times throughout their entire lives. Even as newborns, manatees are already about four and a half feet long weighing nearly sixty pounds.
These herbivorous animals maintain a diet comprised of numerous varieties of plant-life from seagrass to vegetation that they find near the shoreline. In order to survive for the expected 60 years of life they must remain in waters no cooler than about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. These animals can be found in areas such as the Southeastern United States, Eastern Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and South America. They can also currently be found on the Endangered Species list, unfortunately, with their most imposing threats coming from humans; hunting, boating, and environmental degradation.
These herbivorous animals maintain a diet comprised of numerous varieties of plant-life from seagrass to vegetation that they find near the shoreline. In order to survive for the expected 60 years of life they must remain in waters no cooler than about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. These animals can be found in areas such as the Southeastern United States, Eastern Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and South America. They can also currently be found on the Endangered Species list, unfortunately, with their most imposing threats coming from humans; hunting, boating, and environmental degradation.
