Manatees are large, gentle, slow-moving marine mammals that spend their days grazing on aquatic vegetation. There are 3 living species of manatees - the Amazonian Manatee, the West Indian Manatee (also known as the North American Manatee), and the West African Manatee. 

The North American Manatee is native to warm, shallow coastal areas of the mid-Atlantic; from Florida down to northern Brazil. Florida manatees (a subspecies of the NA Manatee) were first listed as endangered species in 1966. Pollution has devastated their primary food source & their habitat, and boat strikes are a leading cause of injury or worse.