Cetacean Evolution: Sea Cows, Manatee and Sirenia Evolution

Up close and personal with LeVar Burton and injured Manatees. Photographs of Toenails on Manatee, and film clip discussing eating habits and lifestyle of Sea Cows.

Origin of Sirenians
Earliest Sirenians, Prorastomus and Protosiren. Timeline of Sirenian Evolution and Extinctions. Images of the four extant manatee and dugong, and the extinct Steller's Seacow.
Sirenian Evolution: Elephant to Sea Cow
Astonishing photographic evidence of similarities between modern sea cows and elephants. Including photographs with celebrity LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow.
Sea Cows, Manatee and Sirenia Evolution
Up close and personal with LeVar Burton and Manatees video. Photographs of Toenails on Manatee, and discussing diet, eating habits and lifestyle of Sea Cows.
Images of Sirenians
Available for download and public distribution for educational purposes.

Sam the Sea Cow about an injured Sea Cow rescued by marine biologists.
Celebrity host, LeVar Burton examines a Sea Cow close up revealing it's traits in common with elephants.
Sam The Sea Cow, WMV / Flash Format / Duration - 3:06
© 1992, Reading Rainbow
RR is a production and registered trademark of GPN/Nebraska Educational Telecommunications and WNED-TV, Buffalo NY

Sirenian Evolution: Elephant to Sea Cow (Manatees)
Astonishing photographic evidence of similarities between modern sea cows and elephants. Including photographs with celebrity LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow.

manatee
Manatee have a large beaver-like tail used to propel their 1000-2000 lb bodies.
manatee
Manatee are "gentle giants", whose greatest natural enemy, is man. Curious manatee are often injured by boat propellers. LeVar Burton speaks with the professionals who work with injured sea cows, and gets up-close with the manatee. Like all other mammals, the sea cow has hair covering its body.
manatee
Manatee have finger-like appendages that "grab food", similar to how the elephant uses its trunk.
manatee
manatee
manatee
Manatee have tiny valves protecting their nostrils, as they graze on vegetation under water. Sea Cows return to the surface every 3 to 5 minutes to breathe.

And.. like elephants, Manatee have toe nails on their flippers.

Some of them have even lost their toe nails, and developed smooth paddles like Cetaceans.

"The smallest member of the family Trichechidae, the Amazonian manatee has smooth skin and no nails on its flippers and feeds on freshwater vegetation."

Manatee Toe Nails