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Manatee Fun Facts
Manatees spend most of their time grazing in shallow
waters and at depths of 3-7 ft. Generally, manatees have an
average mass of 880 to 1,200 lbs, and average length of
9.2 to 9.8. When born, baby manatees have weigh on average 66 lbs.
Half a manatee's day is spent sleeping in the water,
surfacing for air regularly at intervals no greater than 20 minutes.
Manatees are also believed to have the ability to see in color.The
manatee has been linked to folklore on mermaids.
Florida Manatees (T. m. latirostris) have been known to
live up to 60 years, and they can move freely between different
salinity extremes. They have a large flexible prehensile upper lip that
acts in many ways like a shortened trunk, somewhat similar to an
elephant's. They use the lip to gather food and eat, as well as using
it for social interactions and communications. Their small, widely
spaced eyes have eyelids that close in a circular manner.
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