What is a Manatee?
The manatee is a large, gentle aquatic mammal that, through conservation efforts, has just been removed from the endangered species to the threatened species lists, though not all conservationists are pleased with this change. The manatee may also be called a sea cow or a dugong. They have round faces, and large brown eyes, and their tails are thought to have inspired the idea of mermaids existing in the West Atlantic waters, which they inhabit. Most find the herbivorous manatee charming. They are frequently tourist attractions in Belize, and throughout the coast and rivers of Florida. A few manatees live in captivity. The oldest manatee, Snooty, resides at the South Florida Museum. He has lived there for over forty years, but his precise age is unknown. In the wild, the manatee that does not meet an untimely death can be expected to live for approximately fifty years, since the animal has no natural predators. In size, the manatee can weigh as much as 2000 pounds (approximately 900 kg
