Florida Manatee

SWEET SEA POTATO

Diet

• Aquatic plants like sea grass and seaweed growing on the floor of the estuary

Agility

• Large and slow

• Their strong tail helps them push through the water

• They travel long distances every year up the east coast during the summer and back to Florida and the Gulf coast in the winter

Defense Mechanisms

• Few defenses

• Slow and bulky, often hit by passing boats

• Hold their breath for ~ 20 minutes if they need to dive underwater for protection or feeding

Superpower

• Use sensory hairs scattered across their body to engage in tactile contact 

• Communicate by sound using underwater chirps, squeaks and grunts