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Description
Just something to not only celebrate the day of a rare and unique aquatic critter, but to also to spread/share the love and appreciation for this marine mammal and to spread awareness of the struggles they go through. We all know what a manatee is, right? A mammal that lives in the water and almost resembles either a furless seal or (in some people's cases) a mermaid. Its name is also another name for sea cow (since they're vegetarians, though the African species will sometimes eat clams, mollusks, and fish caught in nets). However, manatees are not related to seals or cows, but (get ready for it) elephants, hyraxes (a small relative of the elephant that resembles a guinea pig), and dugongs (a relative of the manatee that closely resembles it and in the Pacific Ocean). Manatees, along with the dugong, belong to the mammalian order called Sirenia (in which they are called 'Sirenians') and manatees belong to the Trichechidae family and are in the genus of Trichechus. The species include:

1. West Indian Manatee (or North American Manatee) (Trichechus manatus):
There are two subspecies, which are:
a. Florida Manatee (T. m. latirostris) (right)
b. Caribbean/Antillean Manatee (T. m. manatus) (left)
2. African Manatee (or West African Manatee) (Trichechus senegalensis) (upper center)
3. Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (below center)

There is also word of another species, called the Dwarf Manatee (Trichechus "pygmaeus"), however it's declared as disputed and validity questionable due to that the specimen caught seemed to have resembled closely an immature Amazonian manatee and the mtDNA failed to show any difference between the two. There was another manatee species called the Steller's Sea Cow (and it was the largest sirenian to have lived), but it was sadly hunted into extinction in the 18th century. As for the manatees we know today, they are listed as Vulnerable (though the West Indian manatee was listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act), along with the Dugong. Manatees face major threats, mostly from humanity. While the West Indian manatee is protected by law, the African and Amazonian manatees are still hunted. The manatees also face habitat destruction,red tide, pollution, and other human activities (including people who are dumb enough to harass them while swimming). But one of the biggest threats is collisions with boats and other watercraft. Due to their very slow movement, manatees can't afford to quickly move of the way of a speeding boat and the aftermath is often not pretty. They maybe slow, but they can be very graceful.

Some of the things you can do to help manatees and show your appreciation for them (even if you're living in Florida, or anywhere near tropic waters, where they live) is to slow down your boat and let them pass through first, living them a respectful space (they prefer their personal space, even if you're swimming with them), and urge lawmakers to keep manatees and their habitats protected. And please, spread the word. Other than that, Happy Manatee Appreciation Day!

Description
Just something to not only celebrate the day of a rare and unique aquatic critter, but to also to spread/share the love and appreciation for this marine mammal and to spread awareness of the struggles they go through. We all know what a manatee is, right? A mammal that lives in the water and almost resembles either a furless seal or (in some people's cases) a mermaid. Its name is also another name for sea cow (since they're vegetarians, though the African species will sometimes eat clams, mollusks, and fish caught in nets). However, manatees are not related to seals or cows, but (get ready for it) elephants, hyraxes (a small relative of the elephant that resembles a guinea pig), and dugongs (a relative of the manatee that closely resembles it and in the Pacific Ocean). Manatees, along with the dugong, belong to the mammalian order called Sirenia (in which they are called 'Sirenians') and manatees belong to the Trichechidae family and are in the genus of Trichechus. The species include:

1. West Indian Manatee (or North American Manatee) (Trichechus manatus):
There are two subspecies, which are:
a. Florida Manatee (T. m. latirostris) (right)
b. Caribbean/Antillean Manatee (T. m. manatus) (left)
2. African Manatee (or West African Manatee) (Trichechus senegalensis) (upper center)
3. Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (below center)

There is also word of another species, called the Dwarf Manatee (Trichechus "pygmaeus"), however it's declared as disputed and validity questionable due to that the specimen caught seemed to have resembled closely an immature Amazonian manatee and the mtDNA failed to show any difference between the two. There was another manatee species called the Steller's Sea Cow (and it was the largest sirenian to have lived), but it was sadly hunted into extinction in the 18th century. As for the manatees we know today, they are listed as Vulnerable (though the West Indian manatee was listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act), along with the Dugong. Manatees face major threats, mostly from humanity. While the West Indian manatee is protected by law, the African and Amazonian manatees are still hunted. The manatees also face habitat destruction,red tide, pollution, and other human activities (including people who are dumb enough to harass them while swimming). But one of the biggest threats is collisions with boats and other watercraft. Due to their very slow movement, manatees can't afford to quickly move of the way of a speeding boat and the aftermath is often not pretty. They maybe slow, but they can be very graceful.

Some of the things you can do to help manatees and show your appreciation for them (even if you're living in Florida, or anywhere near tropic waters, where they live) is to slow down your boat and let them pass through first, living them a respectful space (they prefer their personal space, even if you're swimming with them), and urge lawmakers to keep manatees and their habitats protected. And please, spread the word. Other than that, Happy Manatee Appreciation Day!