1. Karlie Jaeger 6 February 2015

2. Fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals Inhibit swamps, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters Have a low metabolism and poor tolerance for cold water Grow between 2.5 and 4.0 meters long and weigh up to 1,500 kg Aquatic Adaptations Forelimbs and tail modified for steering and propulsion Dense skeletal bones Unlobed lungs which extend the entire length of the vertebral column

6. Distribution and Habitat Warm coastal waters from the Western Pacific Ocean to the Eastern African Coast Between 26° and 27° to the north and south of the equator Diet Sea grasses Reproduction 13-15 month gestation to one calf 14-18 month nursing period 70 year lifespan

8. Habitat Shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers Often migrate through brackish water estuaries to freshwater springs Diet Freshwater Plants (Pickerel weed, alligator weed, water lettuce, water celery, musk grass, mangrove leaves, etc) Saltwater Plants (Sea grasses, shoal grass, manatee grass, turtle grass, marine algae 10-15% of their body weight every day Reproduction and Lifespan 12 month gestation with one calf 12-18 month nursing period Breed once every 2-5 years 60+ year lifespan

9. Concentrated in Florida in the winter, migrate to Georgia and Texas in summer Endangered Species 2014- 4,831 manatees surveyed “Speed Bumps of the Waterways” Crushed/Drowned in canal locks, ingestion of fish hooks, entanglement in crab lines, loss of habitat