I don't know what I was expecting when I looked up manatee anatomy the other day, but it was not that manatees have like. . . Fully-fledged hand bones.
(They're incapable of individual finger movement but still, according to someone on Reddit that had a male manatee fall in love with her, THEY HAVE A VERY STRONG GRIP.)
Manatees: Not the mermaids we wanted, but the ones we needed.
Today is Manatee Appreciation Day! Once mistaken for mythical creatures, manatees are marine mammals part of a small group known as "Sirenia,” a name which comes from the Sirens of ancient Greek mythology. Spending most of their time traveling, resting, or eating seagrass, manatees help maintain healthy marine ecosystems by keeping aquatic vegetation in check. This is why they’re sometimes dubbed the “lawn mowers of the sea.”
Unfortunately, all three extant manatee species are vulnerable to extinction—and these graceful sea critters require additional protection from major threats like habitat destruction and collisions with boats and ships.
Happy Attenborough day!! Sir David is 97 (!!!) years old today!
It's hard to choose which moment from his long career to depict, there is such an abundance of incredible and moving ones. This year, I drew him chilling with some manatees
🧬DNA sequencing has revealed that elephants belong in a superorder called Afrotheria—meet their closest relatives!
🐘Learn more at the Museum’s new exhibition The Secret World of Elephants. Discover new science about both ancient and modern elephants, see full-scale models of proboscideans, and more.
🦃Visiting the Museum this Thanksgiving? Best availability is on Monday and Tuesday of that week. Here are a few tips!