The sea cow is a group of marine mammals that includes famous creatures like the Dugong and Manatee, many of which are now threatened. Manatees (/ ˈmænətiːz /, family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. Sirenians, also called sea cows , are peaceful aquatic mammals that constitute the order Sirenia, which includes dugongs and manatees. They are primarily found in warm, shallow coastal waters, rivers, and estuaries of the Caribbean, West Africa, and parts of North and South America. Manatees look a bit like walruses or chunky porpoises and are sometimes referred to as sea cows , but they're actually much more closely related to elephants.
