Florida Manatee
The Trichechus Manatus Latirostris, commonly known as the Florida Manatee, is a member of the Sirenia order, the Trichechidae family (Reading 107), the Trichecus genus and the Manatus species (Bester 1). The Florida Manatee has distinct physical characteristics that would be hard to miss due to their location on the coast. As tourist, increase the threat of danger to the manatees cause great concern up on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or FDEP group. ... Being a subspecies of the West Indian Manatee (Reading 107), the Florida Manatee is equivalent to the elephant on land (Bester 1). The Florida Manatee has thick, hairless, gray skin (Reading 1). ... The seal-like body with paddle-shaped tail is what glides the manatee through the water. The flippers on the front of the manatee are used for lateral movement and eating. ... The average manatee is about ten feet long and one thousand pounds (3). a manatee has been recorded to reach well beyond thirteen feet in length and weigh over three thousand five hundred pounds.