There are three recognized species of the manatee that, together with the dugong, make up the mammalian order Sirenia.
The three species are the West Indian manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the West African manatee.
The Amazonian manatee is found entirely in the fresh water of the Amazon River and its tributaries.
The other two may be found in both marine waters and fresh waters.
The West Indian manatee ranges from the coast of Georgia south throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the coast of Brazil as far south as the mouth of the Amazon River.
In US waters during the winter, it congregates in warm waters, such as around warm water springs or near power plant outfalls.
The West African manatee is found from the Senegal River south to northern Angola.
It has been seen as far inland as the Niger River in Mali.
The manatee is almost entirely vegetarian, consuming up to 10% of its considerable body weight in food each day.
Adult manatees are generally between 10 and 12 feet in length and weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds.
Adults have no incisor teeth, only molars, which are continuously replaced as they wear out.
While the tail of the dugong is fluked like that of a whale, the manatee’s tail more closely resembles a paddle.
It has forward flippers which, together with its tail, can propel the animal at speeds up to 15 knots for short periods.
Usual swimming speed, though, is a more leisurely three knots.
The manatee spends about half of each 24-hour period sleeping, surfacing regularly to breath.
It has no regular natural predators, although the young or infirm are occasionally attacked by sharks, alligators, or crocodiles.
Humans are the most significant threat to the manatee, mostly through habitat destruction.
Ship strikes and boat propellers cause a significant number of deaths and injuries to manatees, particularly in US waters.
Many US inland waterways and coastal areas, primarily in Florida, have been designated as manatee protection zones, where boats are required to transit at slow speed.
The manatee has been classified as an endangered species.