Everglades National Park is home to many exotic creatures, including the West Indian Manatee. While some claim the manatee is ugly, with "a face only a mother could love," most people are drawn to this marine creature, describing it as homely and having the appeal of a plump grandmother with flippers like oven mitts, outstretched as if inviting a hug. Manatees may not win the gold in a beauty contest, but they definitely take the prize for popularity. Whether it’s their sad, puppy-like demeanor or their sluggish, gentle manner, something about manatees is awfully endearing. Primarily herbivorous, manatees spend up to eight hours each day quietly grazing on seagrasses and other aquatic plants, though they will occasionally feed on fish. Manatees surface for air about once every five minutes, but can remain submerged as long as twenty minutes when they are resting. Their lungs are positioned along the backbone, which helps with buoyancy control. They swim by waving their wide paddle tail up and down, and because they do not possess the neck vertebra that most other mammals have, they must turn their entire bodies to look around. Manatees can hear quite well, at least at high frequencies. This is likely an adaptation to shallow water living, where low frequency sounds aren’t transmitted well because of physical barriers. Their inability to hear the low frequency churning of an approaching boat might explain why manatees are susceptible to injury by boat propellers, a top reason for the decline in their populations. Pictured here is an original piece rendered by artist Mary Withers Kirkland in collaboration with Anderson Design Group. This national park poster is the perfect addition to your home or office decor or an excellent national park gift for the enthusiast in your family. As an original piece of national park art, this design will look great as a print, poster, notecard, postcard, metal sign, canvas, or mini canvas. To learn more about Florida’s most popular park and why we must protect it, visit the Everglades Foundation.