MANATEES

Filmmakers Richard C. and Richard S. Kern explore the history, habitat and behavior of the lovable West Indian manatee

True/False

Although it looks heavy, the manatee is quite light thanks to its thin, hollow skeletal system.

False

Manatees congregate in the springs during the summer to escape the warm waters of Florida’s coast.

False

Manatees eat about 10% of their body weight in plant matter every day

True

Female manatees only give birth to one calf every 2 years.

True

Vocabulary List

  • Sirenia: An order of aquatic mammals which consists of the dugong and 3 species of manatees.
  • Gestation: The carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female animal, specifically one that gives live birth.
  • Graze: A verb meaning to “feed on growing plants, attached algae or phytoplankton”.
  • Bask: A verb meaning to “lie in or be exposed to a pleasant warmth”.

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