The manatee is an aquatic animal that can weigh up to 1,100 pounds, is mainly herbivorous, and is often called a “sea cow.” They are also marine animals that are being adversely affected by global warming and human activities. That’s why Manatee Appreciation Day is such an important day for people to observe.

This is a day that’s celebrated on the last Wednesday in March and one that allows people to not only learn more about these amazing animals but also find out what they can do to help them against the forces that threaten their very existence.

The History of Manatee Appreciation Day

Manatee Appreciation Day is a holiday that was created by the Save The Manatee Club—an organization that was founded in 1981 by singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett and United States Senator Bob Graham.

It’s an organization that has the mission to protect manatees and their natural habitat so future generations can enjoy these aquatic mammals. This holiday was created sometime after their founding to bring attention to their cause and to inspire people to act in the manatees’ best interest.

Fun Facts About Manatees

During our extensive research on this holiday, we came across some very fascinating facts about manatees—facts that we now want to share with everyone. We hope that the following facts will inspire people to celebrate this holiday, or at the very least, help support the cause of protecting manatees and their environment.

Manatees Are Believed to Be the Source of Mermaid Legends

One interesting fact that we discovered is that many experts believe that the manatee might have been the reason for mermaid legends. Even Christopher Columbus believed he had come across three mermaids during his first journey to the Americas. Some people believe that what he actually saw were manatees.

Manatees Never Leave the Water

Manatees are truly aquatic mammals and never come out of the water. However, they do still need to breathe air, so they have to come to the surface frequently. While they’re active, they usually come to the surface every five minutes, but while they’re resting, they can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes.

Manatees Require a Lot of Food

When we say that manatees require a lot of food, we mean they require a whole lot of food. These animals eat more than a tenth of their weight every single day. And since most of what they eat is seagrass, they’re constantly eating to support their weight.

Celebrating Manatee Appreciation Day

We recommend that people wishing to celebrate this day do so by learning about these animals and then putting in some effort to save them and their environment. We also advise people to use the hashtag #ManateeAppreciationDay to spread the word about this holiday and to further its cause.