| Manatees are large, heavy, seal-like, herbivorous (plant-eating) mammals. The skin is gray in color, thick and wrinkled with a rough texture. The manatee has a husky round-like body that tapers to the end into a flat rounded flipper. It has two frontal forelimbs which help them to swim and maneuver in the water. On each of the forelimbs, there are also toenails which are primarily used for grasping and navigation. The average size of a manatee is 8 to 10 feet long.
The Manatee must surface the waters in order to breathe since they do not have any gills. They breathe air at intervals of 3-5 minutes when they are active or swimming, and every 10 to 15 minutes when they are relaxing.
Manatees do not exhale underwater as they use that air to help them rise to the surface to breathe. They have maximum control of their lungs, and can shift the air around inside their bodies to control their buoyancy. To experience an encounter with a Manatee is a lifetime experience.
The Manatee weighs approximately 1,000 lbs. They may grow up to 13 feet long and may reach a maximum weight of 3,000 lbs. Manatee calves usually weigh about 40 lbs. when they are born and most of their weight is gained during their first few years.
The Manatee is very gentle and rather slow-moving. When they are not resting or playing, they spend most of their time exploring and eating vegetation from the waters. They look for food both on the surface and under the surface of the water and like to consume around 100-150 lbs. per day. On the average, they are likely to travel 40 to 50 miles a day. Manatees have limited perception, but with slight hair all over their bodies and thick whiskers on their faces, much like a Walrus, these serve as sensors to help them to find their way when the waters are difficult to navigate.
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