5 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Manatees
"Manatees are strange yet adorable creatures, often referred to as 'the cow of the sea'. Manatees can reach up to 10 feet in length & weigh up to 1,200 lbs, so it’s easy to see why so many refute the idea that manatees are the original cause of mermaid myths...
1. They move about as fast as we walk.
Manatees generally move slowly, at less than 5 miles per hour when they’re going about their daily routine... If a manatee believes they are in danger or need to swim quickly, they can get up to 15 miles per hour in short bursts.
The average lifespan of a manatee is around 40 years, or, in the case of the Florida subspecies, up to 60 years!
2. While they’re often called sea cows, manatees are actually distant relatives of elephants!
Manatees & elephants share tough skin, a trunk-like snout (though we often think of their noses more like a muzzle), bristle-like hair, teeth that grow throughout their life, & toenails on their flippers. While manatees share no heritage with cows, manatees do share a slow, peaceful, & occasionally curious disposition with their bovine friends.
3. They’re not fans of cold water, staying in waters at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
They prefer to swim alone or in small groups & they tend to favor shallow water of about 6 or 7 feet deep. These creatures may move slowly but they are active creatures, surfacing for air every 4 or so minutes. But if they’re tired, they can stay under the water for up to half an hour at a time as they rest.
4. Despite their size and blubber content, manatees are primarily vegetarian.
Unlike many of their omnivorous oceanic neighbors, manatees survive mainly on seagrasses & mangrove leaves... Manatees love to graze & can typically eat about 120 pounds of food every day (that’s around 10% of their body weight!).
5. Manatees play a vital role in the ocean’s ecosystem as they keep the seagrass short & healthy.
Seagrass is important in stabilizing the marine ecosystem as it provides food & shelter to countless oceanic beings. However, when it grows too long the base of the seagrass starts to become unhealthy."
freetheocean.com/journal/interesting-facts-about-manatees
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