Random Amazing Facts About Manatees (15 items)

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  (#3) Their Beautiful Hearts Are Round At The Bottom

  There’s no denying that the manatee is rather unique. This gentle giant’s body is extraordinarily shaped - all the way down to its heart. Like its distant cousin, the elephant, the majestic manatee’s heart rounds out on the bottom rather than coming to a point like most other mammalian hearts do. In addition to being different in shape, a manatees heart is also amazing because of its size. The average manatee has a heart the size of a basketball! That’s a whole lot of love to give.
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  (#5) Throughout History, They Have Been Mistaken For Mermaids

  The old world (i.e., pre-LensCrafters) was a real mess and explorers were not too keen on announcing their discoveries. The manatee is technically a sirenian, but apparently the sailors of yesteryear mistook the animal for an actual siren, AKA a mermaid. As a result, history is hilariously riddled with documentation complaining about how hideous “mermaids” look up close. One famous voyager who is rumored to have made this mistake is none other than Christopher Columbus.
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  (#4) Manatees Can Hold Their Breath For 20 Minutes At A Time

  Manatees are anatomically unique in several ways - and one of their coolest features is their lungs, which allow them to hold their breath for up to 20 minutes at a time. That’s pretty impressive as far as mammals go. Their secret? A manatee's lungs run the full length of their bodies, enabling them to recycle up to 90% of their oxygen intake. They also possess two distinct hemidiaphragms that work with their strong abdominal muscles to compress gas and improve their roll, pitch, and buoyancy simultaneously.
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  (#8) Manatees Are Enormous And Can Weigh Over 1,200 Pounds

  While these guys have certainly earned themselves the nickname “sea cows,” their closest relative is actually the elephant. And like their cousin-elephants, manatees are truly colossal. Some even weigh more than 1,200 pounds, with their elongated bodies reaching an astounding 13 feet long.
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  (#6) Gas Helps Keep Them Afloat

  Since manatees use their lungs in conjunction with their intestines to propel themselves through the water, they also have to pass gas in order to keep their balance - yes, that means farting. Making bubbles in the water is essential to maintaining the buoyancy of the manatee and they have an impressive amount of control over how much gas they make and how often they make it.

  Other sea creatures have swim bladders that work to keep them afloat; however, for the manatee, farting is akin to swimming and it’s what makes them appear to be gliding so gracefully through the water. As the gas is released, their paddle-like tails move up and down, pushing them along at painfully slow speeds.
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  (#11) They’re Attracted To Power Plant Discharge Pipes

  Manatees thrive in rushing waters where temperatures are over 60 degrees. And for this reason, many of these languid swimmers can be found congregating near power plant discharge pipes. Lake Worth Lagoon in Florida is an eco-discovery center that wild manatees drift in and out of frequently because of its power plant pipes. Some conservationists argue that because a human-created environment is warming up the otherwise frigid waters, manatees are actually still at great risk of endangerment.

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