Caribbean Manatee - Florida


Florida has 2,170 kilometers of oceanic coastline, the most of any lower 48 state; it is the only state bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Florida is also one of the few regions having been controlled by at least 5 different sovereign nations: Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States, and the United States.

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Trichechus manatus - The Caribbean manatee is one of two remaining species of manatees. Fresh water lakes and lagoons or wide sluggish rivers are their ideal habitats. Manatees feed primarily on aquatic plants, but they will also eat small fish and invertebrates. Manatees are polyphyodont. They have the ability to replace their teeth; elephants and kangaroos are included in this group. In a process similar to a conveyor belt, new teeth are formed in the back of the mouth and slowly move forward until they fall out from wear.