The West Indian Manatee is a large, slow-moving aquatic herbivore that relies on warm water refuges in winter, congregating around natural springs and power plant outflows in Florida. It has no natural predators but faces severe threats from boat strikes, which leave distinctive propeller scars that researchers use for individual identification. Manatees renew their entire set of molars continuously throughout their lives, with new teeth moving forward as older ones wear down.
Habitat
Shallow coastal waters, estuaries, rivers, and springs
Diet
Seagrasses, freshwater aquatic plants, and algae
How common
Rare
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