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Trichechus manatus
The mostly herbivorous water mammal, also known as a sea cow. Growth can be up to 13 feet and weight up to 1,300 lbs. This specific one could mostly likely belong to the subspecies T. m. latirostris (Florida manatee).
Totally aquatic. It seeks warm water as the weather gets cooler/colder. They can be found in freshwater river, estuaries, and coastal salt waters in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They seek warm water refuges like power plant discharge areas and small lakes that channels leading from open waters lead to. This specimen was swimming w/ 3-4 others, one appearing to be a juvenile. They were in several miles from the Gulf of Mexico in small waterway that leads to a local lake they are known to reside in during cold weather.
1 Comment
Nice view of this one swimming by! Where did you see it? In a canal or off the Atlantic Coast?