Manatee

1. Manatee Graceful Giants By: Jimmy N.

2. Introduction • Their name is manatee • Their scientific name is Trichechusiunguis • There are a couple different kinds of manatees, such as an Indian manatee and Amazon manatee • They are endangered

3. Physical Features • Their skin is like elephant skin which is really rough • Their hair is gray • They grow up to 13 feet long • They never stop growing as long as they live • They can be as fat as 1,300 pounds • They look like a small car. • They have flexible flippers • It has stubby nails • It has a big, flat tail which looks like a paddle • Their mouth is big like a vacuum to suck up food

4. More Physical Features • Their head is round and stubby • They have whiskers are long • They have a big nose • Small eyes on the side of their head • They have front flippers near their head

5. Where Manatees Live • Manatees live in... • Marshy rivers and bays • They live in oceans and brackish (calm) water • You can find them in: • West Africa • The Caribbean • The Gulf of Mexico and the • Amazon Basin

6. Climate • They like warm and shallow water • They can’t survive in water that is below 60⁰f • They prefer water that is 72⁰f

7. What manatees eat • A manatee is a herbivore. That is an animal • that only eats plants. They eat… • Water grass, weeds, algae • manatees spend 6 to 8 hours a day eating. • They eat submerged and floating plants • They eat up to 10-15 percent of their body weight in one day

8. Prey and Predator Prey of Predator to Manatees only eat plants • Manatees only predator is people because the people want manatees for: • skin • Oil • Bones • Today they can be hit by motor boats and tangled in fishing nets. You will see signs in water areas that say be careful of the manatees

9. Behavior • They are large slow moving animals • They are graceful swimmers • Half of their days are spent sleeping in shallow waters • They graze in shallow waters 3-6 ½ ft. deep • They live with their mates forever

10. Lifespan • Manatees are endangered • But Florida's manatees have been known to live up to 60-70 years

11. Babies • They are 4 feet long and weigh up to 70 pounds at birth • Manatee babies are born under water with out any eggs • Mom manatees help their babies take their first breath • The mom stays with the babies for up to two years • The dad doesn’t stay with the babies at all.

12. Physical Adaptation • Strong tails for constant swimming • Sensitive skin to help sense water temp • Whiskers to help them eat their food • Flexible upper lip for eating and talking • Manatees have no incisor or canines only 6 cheek bones because they only eat grass

13. Physiological Adaptation • They have a simple stomach but it helps them digest tough plants • Slow heart rate while diving • They renew 90% of there air in there lungs in 1 breath • Their fat makes them heavy but it also helps them float to the top of the water to get their food

14. Behavioral Adaptations • They communicate with squeaks and squeals, and they use their flippers to communicate by hitting each other. This tells each other about predators that might be near. • They live in packs to keep each other safe. • They live and stay at the top part of the water where they find their sea plants and sea grass to eat.

15. COOL FACTS!! • Manatees are called under water cows because they only eat plants and they are slow • West Indian manatees look more like people than cars • Manatees were mistaken for mermaids