West Indian Manatee

Hello there. My name is the West Indian Manatee, but lots of my friends call me a 'sea cow'. I am a big and gentle swimmer. I have wrinkled, gray skin sparsely covered with hairs that is fun to have. I also have two friendly flippers that help me move and a strong, flat tail. My tail looks just like a paddle. I love living in warm, cozy waters where the sunbeams dance on the surface and make everything bright and happy.

My favorite thing to do all day is eat. I munch and I crunch on yummy underwater plants like seagrass. It is like having a giant salad bar just for me under the water. I swim very slowly, just floating along and looking for my next green snack. Every few minutes, I need to get some air. I gently poke my nose out of the water to take a big, fresh breath before I dive back down to my beautiful underwater world.

All of my munching does a very important job. Manatees consume seagrass, which may influence its length, but the specific impact of their grazing on seagrass health is not well-documented. I am like an underwater gardener. This makes the seagrass beds a happy and safe home for little fish and other small sea creatures to live and play in. I love being a gentle helper in my beautiful ocean home. My story matters because I help keep the ocean a healthy place for everyone.