They are mammals, hence they breathe air, have body hair and nurse their young.
Manatees have a round, flattened paddle-shaped tail, and two front flippers.
These flippers are used in steering while swimming, as well as for holding their food. While underwater, flaps close over their nostrils, to prevent water from interfering with breathing. The newborn calves range from 3-5 feet long, and beginning only several weeks after birth, they start eating plants, such as seagrasses and algae. Manatees are completely harmless and nonaggressive and are often shy and reclusive. The elephant is its closest relative.