West Indian Manatee

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West Indian Manatee
NatureWorks
New Hampshire Public Television
Image Credits: Clipart.com unless otherwise noted

Range
In the United States the West Indian manatee can be found in the coastal waters of the southern Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Florida and the Gulf Coast. In the winter it is usually only found in Florida. It is also found in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Habitat
The West Indian manatee lives in shallow coastal waters, rivers, bays and lakes. The manatee cannot survive in water that is colder than 46 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature gets too cold, it will migrate to warmer waters.

Diet
The West Indian manatee is an herbivore. It spends about five hours a day eating! It eats aquatic plants like water hyacinth and hydrilla. It uses its lips, bristles and flippers to grab plants. An adult manatee eats as much as 60 to 100 pounds of vegetation a day!

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