12 Interesting facts about Manatee

1. Manatees are a migratory species and the animal can be found migrating to distant areas in summers.
2. Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal. Their closest land relatives are elephant and hyrax.
3. On an average, manatees travel about 40 to 50 miles a day
4. A manatee spends most of its time in eating, resting and traveling.
5. Manatees give birth to a single young one, known as calf, every 2-5 years. Twins are very rare.
6. It is believed that manatees are near-sighted, but can differentiate between colors.
7. The calf of a manatee usually remains dependent on its mother for one to two years.
8. A manatee is capable of exchanging 98 percent of its lungs capacity in a single breath.
9. Manatees do not have external ear lobes, still they can hear pretty well.
10. Manatees are an endangered species, protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act, Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act and Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.
11. Manatees can eat 10-15 percent of their body weight daily.
12. Manatees are an endangered species, protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act, Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act and Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.