Manatee, Manatee Pictures, Manatee Facts

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Manatee, Manatee Pictures, Manatee Facts
Photograph by Brian J. Skerry
National Geographic

Manatees are sometimes called sea cows, and their languid pace lends merit to the comparison. However, despite their massive bulk, they are graceful swimmers in coastal waters and rivers.

Manatee calves drink their mothers' milk, but adults are voracious grazers. They eat water grasses, weeds, and algae—and lots of them. A manatee can eat a tenth of its own massive weight in just 24 hours.

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