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Amazonian ManateeThe tiniest member of the manatee family, the Amazonian manatee can be distinguished by its smooth rubbery skin and lack of vestigial nails on its flippers. It is the only manatee to occur exclusively in freshwater habitats. The species is slow – moving and docile, and is commonly seen feeding on the surface of lakes and rivers it inhabits. As a result it is very easy to kill, and is threatened as a result of historical and current hunting for its meat and skin. They are also at risk from pollution, accidental drowning in commercial fishing nets and the degradation vegetables by soil erosion resulting from deforestation. It weighs up to 350 to 500kg, its head to tail length is about 2.5 to 3m.
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