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Project Noah Nature School
Trichechus manatus latirostris
Like other manatees, the West Indian manatee has adapted fully to an aquatic life style, having no hind limbs. Pelage cover is sparsely distributed across the body, which may play a role in reducing the build-up of algae on their thick skin. The average West Indian manatee is about 2.7–3.5 m (8.9–11.5 ft) long and weighs 200–600 kg (440–1,320 lb), with females generally larger than males. The difference between the two subspecies of the West Indian manatee is that the Florida manatee is commonly reported as being larger in size compared to Antillean manatee. The largest individual on record weighed 1,655 kg (3,649 lb) and measured 4.6 m (15 ft) long. This manatee's color is gray or brown. Its flippers also have either three or four nails, so it can hold its food as it is eating.
Canal
The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.
Spotted on Feb 27, 2015
Submitted on May 2, 2015
3 Comments
The photos are awesome, Aaron. I'm jealous too.
I saw around 30 total swim through this canal in the hour I had to spare. It was a cool, rainy morning and the water was quite murky. The experience was much better than the photos. :-)
Jealous of this!