Manatees

Manatees

phisycal description: Manatees adult average weight and height is 8,000-12,000lbs and lO feet long. Their normal color is gray and black. Amazon manatees usually have pink and white patches. Manatees do not have ear flaps--their ear canal is located several centimeters behind the eye.

Habitat: Manatees live in shallow, slow moving water, saltwater bays, and estuaries. Mostly where seagrass beds or fresh water vegetation flourish. They need warm water to survive.

Where do they live: Manatees live throughout the west Indies, the Amazon River Basin, along the east coasts of Central America and South America, along the coast of west Africa, and in the Congo River and other large rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean. They live in saltwater or freshwater. Manatees are endangered species. They think there are about 1,500 manatees left in the United States . No one really knows how many manatees are left in the world, but they think probably still many thousand.

Habits: Manatees are usually seen alone, in pairs, or small groups of half a dozen or fewer animals. They sleep throughout the day and night for short periods at a time. They are either submerged at the bottom of the ocean or just below the surface, coming up for air every 3 to 5 minutes.

Interesting facts!: Organisms such as algae may grow on some slow-moving individuals. Scientists belive that manatees resting on the bottom of the ocean floor may come up to breath at the surface without fully waking up!! Suprisingly, manatees are common relatives of elephants!! Both elephants and manatees are herbivores.