Manatees are an anomaly in the anim

Manatees are an anomaly in the animal kingdom. Neither predator nor prey, these peaceable creatures, which can grow to 13 feet and weigh more than 2,000 pounds,are evolutionarily devoid of aggression. They also fall into the class of "charismatic” wild animals that hold humans in their thrall. When I was growing up,my parents took us to Crystal River to spend time with our grandparents, who taught us about the world we were inheriting. After dinner, we'd sit outside, watching the heat lightning flicker in the distance and listening to the music of frogs and insects drift across the water. Sometimes another sound would jolt us to attention:Pffff!-a manatee coming up for air..