West indian manatee
A species of Manatee, Also known as North american manatee Scientific name : Trichechus manatus Genus : Manatee
West indian manatee, A species of Manatee
Also known as:
North american manatee
Scientific name: Trichechus manatus
Genus: Manatee
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Ramos Keith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , used under PUBLIC-DOMAIN /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The west indian manatee is a large, slow-moving marine mammal that ranges throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the nearby Atlantic coasts of North and South America, where the waters are still warm. Listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), these gentle mammals are too-often accidentally killed by boats or poached by hunters.
People often ask
General Info
Lifespan
40-60 years
Diet
West indian manatee's diet primarily consists of water vegetation such as turtle grass, manatee grass, and a variety of algae. The species is noted for its considerable adaptability, diversifying its diet to include overhanging leaves, fruits, and vegetation found on the water's surface.
Appearance
West indian manatee is a large aquatic mammal with a paddle-shaped tail. Its body is elongated with thick, wrinkled, grey-brown skin, often barnacled or algae-covered. West indian manatee has small eyes, paired nostrils, and upper lips that overhang its lower jaw. Both genders look alike, with no significant variation in coloration or markings. Notable for its distinctive shape, west indian manatee is unique among marine animals.
Behavior
West indian manatee is a solitary creature, predominantly herbivorous, spending up to seven hours a day foraging along water bottoms, consuming aquatic vegetation. They maintain territories yet lack overt territorial defense behaviors. West indian manatee exhibits a unique behavior known as 'caravanning' where mothers and calves swim in a single-file line.
Population
Decreasing
Photo By Ramos Keith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , used under PUBLIC-DOMAIN /Cropped and compressed from original 
Scientific Classification
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