Manatees

 

These manatees are West Indian Manatees, and they were brought over from India to be used as food.

 

They use the whiskers on their nose to sense other manatees and food. Although, they are so big, that often they just bump right into you as they swim by, like it's no big deal. The young ones have really bumpy skin, but as they grow, the skin stretches out and becomes smooth. The babies make high pitched squeaking sounds to call out to their mothers.

 

A few manatees live in Crystal River year round, but most migrate as far as Texas and even Rhode Island. Their favorite food is sea grass. These vegetarians can grow up to 2,000 pounds.

 

Since there are only somewhere between 2,000-4,000 left in the Florida area, they are a protected species. Their main threat is us. Careless boaters, climate change, pollution, and overhunting are all factors.