The manatee originated about 50 million years ago. In the day of Columbus sailors mistook them for mermaids. Sometimes they are called "Sea-cows". They are a large mammal weighing up to 3500 pounds. As large as they are they have very little fat on them. They are very gentle but muscular animals.

Manatees can live in fresh or salt because they are migratory animals. The ones living off of the Florida coast in the winter are West Indian manatees. They can be seen in Alabama and the Carolina's also. The Amazonian manatee lives in the River Amazon in Brazil. The Amazonian manatee is the smallest type of manatee. Antillean manatees are found the islands of Cuba,Puerto Rico and Haiti.

Manatee's can swim vertically and upset down. They can roll over in the water using their tail and flippers. Their speed is a slow 2-6 miles an hour. Manatees like to swim mainly in slow flowing rivers and in canals.They swim with their paddle shaped tail that goes up and down.The manatee goes underwater and then surfaces about every 3 to 5 minutes for air. But they have been know to stay under as long as 20 minutes.

They have very good vision and hearing. They have small eyes one on each side of the head. They can't turn just their heads because they have no neck so they have to turn there whole body to see you. The manatee will use their flippers for scratching and rubbing other manatee's. A manatee may even embrace the other manatee's in the group with their flippers. They have a little spouts of hair on their skin and around their mouth. The Florida manatee even has toenails.

The manatee's eat grass,algae,mangrove leaves and other water plants. They are known to eat up to 100-150 pounds of vegetation a day. A manatee's flipper is what they use to help them swim and bring food to their mouths.They usually feed in the water but may get partially up on the bank to pull off vegetation to eat. Their lips are really muscular and they use them to tear up the plants they eat. They have molar teeth about 32 of them in the back of their mouths. When they wear down they grow new ones.

Did you know that manatee's have their own language? I saw three swimming by and I actually heard them talking while I was walking on the edge of the Indian River. There was very awesome sounds that they let out. They usually made chirps,whistles and squeaks. I heard a lot chirps and whistles.The mother swimming with her baby or during mating is a time they mostly vocalize. Fear,anger or being hurt may be another time they might be heard.

The mighty manatee can live up to 60 years or more when they are not bothered along the Florida coast. People with boats have to be careful not to hit and cut them with their propellers. The manatee is dark colored and hard to see in the waters. Always look for boating warning speed limit signs on the waterways where there are manatees. Cold water is also bad for manatee's of Florida if the water is under 60 degrees F they will get sluggish and stop eating. Loose fishing line can also cause a problem for the manatee. Line can get tangled around their flippers or mouths so they can't move or eat.

Manatee's are slow breeders so they are not having babies fast enough to catch up with the death rate. The mother manatee is not even ready to breed until it is five years of age. They have a calf around every two to five years if everything goes right. The baby manatee is born born under water and nurses under it's mother's flipper where the teats are located right away. The baby calf will nurse for a long while. It takes it's first breathe swimming up right after being born. Then swims along beside it's mother for several years. Learning everything she knows,how to eat,resting places and routes to travel.

A count was done of the manatee's on the East Florida coast. From an airplane flying over only 956 were counted. The manatee was put on the Florida State endangered species list in 1967.

In Florida, at some places you can swim with the manatees in fresh clear spring water. Following all rules and regulations a tour guide will take you to them. They will teach you how to act around the manatees and follow all the Florida manatee protective laws. You should move slow swimming with the manatee and let it come to you.

Crytal Springs Park Mantee Santuary is another place where the manatee's have fresh spring water. It is a place they can be to get away from boats. No one is allowed to swim with them in this protected area where they come to rest and are feed. A new sanctuary opened in 1997 is Three Sisters Springs. You can swim and snorkel there in a lagoon like atmosphere.

A lot more awareness has been brought out about saving the manatee's.There is a adopt a manatee program called "Save The Manatee Club". After you adopt your manatee you are allowed to go and see it. The funds made are used to educate people about the manatee researching and for rehabilliation of hurt manatee's. Here is the website link- https://www.donate.net/stm/basket.asp?dept_id=591&shopper_id=1396082

These gentle mammals are very sweet and endaring to the heart. They are quite a gift to the environment.I have found them so interesting ,they are just amazing. One great thing about living in Florida is getting to go see the manatee in the Florida waters when ever I get a chance

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