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Animal profile

Amazonian Manatee

Trichechus inunguis

MammaliaFreshwater rivers, lakes and flooded forests of the Amazon basinVulnerable

Field profile

The Amazonian manatee is the smallest sirenian and the only one that lives entirely in fresh water. It has smooth skin without nails on its flippers and a pale ventral patch. It feeds on floating and emergent vegetation in flooded forest during the high-water season.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2024-12-08

Amazonian Manatee

Amazonian manatees fast through the dry season

When floodwaters retreat, the plants they graze become unreachable and the manatees are confined to deep lakes. They are thought to live largely on stored fat for months, an unusual strategy for a large aquatic herbivore.

Read with evidence →

Amazonian Manatee | Daily Animal Facts