Manatees and Elephants Are Close Cousins - Florida Manatee Facts Information-

Manatees and Elephants
Close Cousins?

Manatees & Elephants
How They Are Related

The elephant is considered the manatee's closest living relative.

If all this sounds far-fetched, you can see for yourself the manatees' land-based heritage: Examine pictures of the tips of each of the front flippers.

The pectoral flippers always contain three to four vestigial fingernails that look remarkably like an elephant's.

Furthermore, manatees and elephants, herbivores that eat plants, have a similar tooth structure.

Manatees, like whales, dolphins and seals, are marine mammals. Manatees, however, are unrelated to whales or seals, although manatees do have something of a whale's body and a seal's head.

Instead, manatees along with the dugong, are members of the order called sirenia. At one time sirenia had a dozen members; only four survive today.

Scientists are not sure why sirenian diversity declined. Availability of aquatic vegetation and/or competition with other marine herbivores and climate change may all have had roles.

Florida Manatee Facts and Information

Where To See Florida Manatees

Manatee Photo Gallery

How Long Have Manatees Been Around?

How Old Do Manatees Live?

Manatees as Mermaids

How the Manatee Got Its Name

Why Manatees Became Endangered

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Manatees and Elephants Close Cousins?

Manatees and Elephants
Close Cousins?