Manatees are friendly aquatic mammals known for their size and gentleness. Also known as sea cows, they can grow up to 13 feet and weigh as much as 1,300 pounds. Their natural habit is the shallow, marshy river beds of the coastal regions. These magnificent creatures have lived on earth for a long time. Researchers have found the fossils of manatees that date back as far as 45 million years.

Manatees are immensely popular among tourists, especially children, who fondly call them the teddy bears of the ocean. Just like dolphins, they are outgoing and friendly. Social animals by nature, they have family gatherings with hundreds of them coming together and basking under the sun. They love to be close to each other, which is a wonderful sight to see.

The average life span of these gentle giants is sixty years. They spend 6-8 hours a day feeding on plants. In fact, they use their paddle-like flippers to dig out the roots and direct them toward their mouth. Although they come to the surface every 3-5 minutes to breathe, they can stay submerged for as long as 20 minutes. Manatees periodically shed their teeth and grow new ones. This makes them one of the only three mammals (after elephants and kangaroos) that can do the same.

Manatees have been identified as an endangered species in many countries. Crystal River in central Florida is one of the few geographical locations where these mammals are thriving in their natural environment. Thousands of tourists visit this region every year to swim with the manatees. Many nations have begun conservation efforts to increase the manatee population. Since 1990, the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission alone has raised over $34,000,000 for this cause. In the United States, the last Wednesday of March is celebrated as Manatee Appreciation Day. In Florida, November is Manatee Awareness Month.