Manatees are the aquatic mammals of grey color. They have taper bodies. They are the closest relatives of elephants and hyrax. They live up to 60 years. There are different societies in world to protect them. Here are some facts about manatees.
Shape and Size
They are grey in color and have a paddle shaped tail. Their two forelimbs are called flappers. An adult manatee is about 10 feet long having weight of 800 to 1.200 pounds.
Range
They are known as migratory species. They found in America. In winters they mostly found in Florida and in winter, they can be found as west in taxes and far north in Massachusetts, and summer sightseeing in Alabama and Georgia.
Habitat
Their habitat is slow moving rivers. Salt water bays, estuaries, coastal areas and canals. They mostly found in areas where fresh water and vegetation flourish.
Food
Mostly the manatees are herbivores. They normally eat emergent, submerged and floating plants but sometimes they eat small fish and invertebrates. Their 10-15% of total body weight is consumed by vegetables.
Behavior
They are very slow and gentle animals. They are very slow moving and spent their time in eating and taking rest mostly. They can swim at 20 miles per hour speed.