Manatee
Depth: 20 m · Sunlight Zone
The manatee is a gentle plant-eater and a relative of the elephant. All day long it grazes on seagrass and has to eat huge amounts. It surfaces regularly to breathe, because it is a mammal.
For scientists
Sea cows (Sirenia) are the only plant-eating marine mammals and descend from land-dwelling ancestors related to the elephants. They replace worn molars throughout life from back to front (marching teeth), much like elephants. Their heavy, dense rib bones act as a diving weight and keep them neutrally buoyant.
🌊 Swim straight to it in 3D