Manatee's heads & faces are wrinkled, with whiskers on the snout. Their closest relatives are the elephant and hyrax (small, gopher-sized mammal). What two animals are manatees most closely related to?
elephants and rhino
elephants and dolphins
elephants and sharks
elephants and hyrax
Manatees rest from 10 to 12 hours a day either near the water's surface or lying on the bottom, usually for several hours at a time. When resting, they can stay underwater up to 20 minutes before surfacing for air! How do manatees sleep?
4 hours of their day
10-12 hours of their day
8 hours of their day
When manatees swim they create oval-shaped ripples referred to as footprints. This is a great way to spot manatees, especially since they camouflage so well with their surroundings. What are the oval-shaped ripples called?
Handprints
Footprints
Waves
Ripples
Manatees communicate with each other using various vocalizations, including chirps, whistles, and squeaks. They make sounds under the water. How do manatees communicate?
They talk like humans.
Various vocalizations including chirps, whistles, & squeaks
They only chirp or whistle.
They sing and laugh.
Manatees weigh 880 to 1,210 pounds and average 9 feet 2 inches to 9 feet 10 inches in length. They can grow up to 15 feet and weigh up to 3,900 pounds.How big and heavy can manatees be?
They can be 1-5ft long & weigh between 100-200lbs.
They are always 9-10ft long & weigh between 1,000-3,500lbs.
They can grow up to 15 feet and weigh up to 3,900 pounds.
Although, male and female manatees are difficult to distinguish, females tend to be larger and heavier than males. Which is gender of manatee is smaller (male or female)?
Male manatees is generally smaller than the female.
Female manatees are generally smaller than the male.
Male manatees are generally smaller than the female.
Manatees can eat up to 10-15% of their weight a day. They usually spend up to eight hours a day grazing. How much can a manatee eat in relation to their weight?
They can eat up to 15-20% of their weight a day.
They can eat up to 100% of their weight a day.
They can eat up to 1-5% of their weight a day.
They can eat up to 10-15% of their weight a day.
Manatees spend most of their time eating seagrasses and other aquatic plants. This means they are aquatic herbivores (plant eaters). What do manatees eat?
Manatees mostly eat seagrass and other aquatic plants.
Manatees mostly eat seagrass and ice cream
Manatees mostly eat seagrass and chicken
Manatees mostly eat seagrass and small fish.
Manatees live in shallow, calm rivers, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas. They can be found in several places like Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Belize, Colombia, and Brazil. Where do manatees live around the world?
Mexico and Brazil only
Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Belize, Colombia, and Brazil.
Only in Florida
Florida and the Caribbean only
Manatees are endangered because of loss of habitat, pollution, injuries from boats. Conservation efforts are underway to protect manatees and ensure their survival. Why are manatees endangered?
only boat injuries
too much habitat, little pollution and friendly boats
loss of habitat, pollution and injuries from boats
pollution only
Manatees have been shown to perform just as well as dolphins, when given specific tasks, even though they have one of the smallest brains. Which animal can manatees perform like?
Elephants
Dolphins
Alligators
Sharks
Manatees were once thought to be mermaids. Manatees were often mistaken for mythical mermaids, also referred to as their more villainous counterparts from Greek myth, sirens. What were they often mistaken for?
Sharks
Cows
Dolphins
Mermaids/Sirens
Three species of manatee exist: West Indian, Amazonian, and West African. The West Indian manatee is divided into two separate subspecies: Florida manatee and Caribbean manatee. What are the three species of manatees?
West Indian, Amazonian, and West African
West Indian, American, and West African
West Indian, Amazonian, and East African
East Indian, Amazonian, and West African
A mother manatee will carry her baby for about 12 months before it is born. A baby manatee is called a calf. When born, the baby will weigh nearly 66 pounds (30 kg). What is a baby manatee called?
Calf
Manatee
Cow
Mermaid
Manatees are slow moving mammals that frequent the water's surface. Algae thrive in wet areas with lots of sunlight, which makes the manatee's back an ideal breeding ground for algae. What can grow on a manatee?
Fruits
Vegetables
Algae
Flowers
