Manatees are sometimes called 'sea cows' because they spend their days quietly munching on underwater plants. They can eat up to 50 kg of sea grass and water weeds every single day. This grazing actually helps keep the sea grass healthy by trimming it evenly.
They breathe air and must come to the surface every few minutes. When a manatee breathes, it makes a sound like a big, satisfied sigh. Mothers and babies call to each other with a sound a bit like a bird's squeaky chirp - scientists say it sounds surprisingly high and sweet for such a large animal.
Manatees have no natural predators in the Dominican Republic. They are related - distantly - to elephants. Scientists can tell because both animals have similar nails on their flippers and the same slow, steady way of moving.
The north coast of the Dominican Republic, especially around Samaná and Monte Cristi, is one of the best places in the Caribbean to spot manatees from a boat. Conservation teams monitor them carefully to make sure their sea-grass meadows stay clean and healthy.