Over 50 million years ago, the ancestors of modern manatees evolved from the same land animals as elephants, and the first true manatees evolved about 15 million years ago. Today, there are 3 species of manatees—2 live in the Western Hemisphere and 1 along the coast of West Africa.

Their powerful tails can propel them in bursts up to 15 miles per hour. They also possess considerable cognitive prowess with very good long-term memory, task-learning abilities, and complex associative learning.

On a diet of mangrove leaves, seagrasses, algae, and weeds, and with no natural predators in the wild, manatees can live up to 40 years, grow to 13 feet in length, and weigh 1,300 pounds.

For centuries, human hunters have slaughtered manatees for oil, hides, and bones. This, along with boat-crowded waters and deaths from being caught in fishnets, has made all 3 species of manatee in danger of extinction.