MANATEE AND CALF

Manatee and calf

Female manatees usually have one calf every two to five years. The calf swims alongside his Mamma for two years or more, munching on greenery. 

Once full-grown at a whopping 5,44 kilograms or 1,200 pounds, this little fellow will eat ten percent of his body weight in plant mass every day. 

Calves nurse from their mother’s teats, which are found right where the forward limbs meet the body. The calves also can start nibbling on plants at only a few weeks old.