Keep these fun facts and tips handy for your next conversation about Manatees:

• Manatees can consume 10-15% of their body weight daily in vegetation
• It's nickname is the “sea cow”
• One of the closest surviving relatives of the manatee is the elephant and hyrax, a gopher sized animal.
• A female manatee, called a cow, gives birth about once every three years.
• Manatees build up algae on their skin
• The young are born with molars and premolars, allowing them to consume sea grass within the first three weeks of birth.

BOATER'S TIPS
With the greatest threat to Manatees being human encroachment, here are some helpful tips for the next time you are boating:

• Obey posted speed zone signs and keep away from posted manatee sanctuaries.
• Wear polarized sunglasses. They can help eliminate the glare of the sun and enable you to see below the water's surface.
• If you see a manatee when operating a powerboat, remain a safe distance away -- 50 feet is the suggested minimum. If you want to observe the manatee, cut the motor, but don't drift over the animal.
• Stay in deep water channels when boating. Avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas where manatees might be feeding. However, be aware that manatees also use deep water channels when traveling.
• If you like to jet-ski, water-ski, or participate in high-speed water-sports, choose areas that manatees do not or cannot frequent, such as land-locked lakes or waters well offshore.

Source: Fun Facts - Wikipedia, Boater's Tips - Savethemanatee.org

Source: US Fish and Wildlife