Note: Information is dated. Do not rely on it.

Manatee. The manatee or sea cow is an aquatic mammal of the genus Trichechus, order Sirenia. Three species are known, one of which is found in West Africa, and the others in America. They frequent rivers from Florida to the Amazon and also those of Cuba, usually choosing the quiet reaches of the streams above tide water. Their food is water grasses and other aquatic plants. Their anterior limbs are flat and not adapted for walking, hence they never come upon land. The tail is flat and broad and adapted for swimming. They are large, awkward animals, attaining a length of eight to ten feet as a rule, but sometimes growing to thirteen feet. The skin is of a grayish color, sparsely covered with hairs.

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