Have you ever seen a baby manatee nursing before?
So beautiful bond between mom and baby.
Manatees are large, slow-moving aquatic mammals belonging to the order Sirenia. Often called "sea cows," they are gentle herbivores that spend most of their time grazing on underwater plants.
Manatee calves nurse underwater from mammary glands located just behind the mother's flippers, resembling an "armpit". Calves rely on this rich, fatty milk for up to two years, though they begin nibbling on sea grass shortly after birth.
Manatees are found in shallow, warm coastal waters, rivers, and estuaries across three main regions: the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, the Amazon basin, and the west coast of Africa.
West Indian Manatee: Found in the southeastern United States (especially Florida), throughout the Caribbean Sea, and along the northern coast of South America. During the summer, Florida manatees can migrate as far north as Massachusetts.
Amazonian Manatee: Found exclusively in the freshwater rivers, lakes, and flooded forests of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
West African Manatee: Found along the western coast of Africa, ranging from Mauritania down to Angola, and extending into inland rivers and mangrove forests.
🎦 Credit: Josh Swander