Manatees, Trichechus manatus, include 2 different subspecies, the Florida manatee(Trichechus manatus latirostris), and the Antillean manatee(Trichechus manatus manatus). These cute little creatures are known as the cows of the sea. They are known as this because they are large, friendly, cute, and almost completely vegetarian. Because of the fact that these cute, friendly creatures are not only  aquatic herbivores, but LARGE aquatic herbivores, there are quite often considered potential control agents for aquatic plants. In fact, manatees had been used to clear weed-choked canals in Guayana, since 1885(Allsopp, 1960,1961).  Though they were successfully used as control agents for aquatic plants back then, it has actually come known that these “sea cows” cannot actually be used as control agents due to the amount, and certain vegetation they need to eat, and their reliance on warm water. 

Mainly on an herbivorous diet, these big friendly creatures consume about 5-10% of their body weight in vegetation on a daily basis, but do however, occasionally feed on small invertebrates and fish while grazing for seagrass. Because manatees primarily feed on aquatic plant species, which are so low nutrients, they are found spending 5-9 hours grazing for food to meet their metabolic requirements.