Sea cow underwater
© Wayne Lynch/All Canada/Offset/Shutterstock
A sea cow's close-up
Enter a staring match with a curious manatee if you want, but don't challenge these "sea cows" in a bulkiness contest. Despite their balloonish appearance as they float through shallow seawater, Florida manatees can weigh more than 1,500 kilograms and reach almost 4 metres long.Manatees were a rarity in Florida as recently as 50 years ago after boat collisions and habitat destruction nearly drove them to extinction. Since being listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act, the seagoing mammals have managed to rebound, being upgraded to "threatened" in 2017, (still not a great title, but it's an improvement).
Pointe du Souffleur, Mauritius
Blue ice, snow-covered island, bare trees, Norway
Irabu Ohashi Bridge, Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan
Boat floating, clear turquoise water, coral reef
Humpback whale underwater
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Volcanic spire of Pinnacle Rock, Galápagos Islands
Palm tree island beach, San Blas Islands, Panama
