Manatees are certainly the genlte giants of the sea. As primarily herbivores they have earned the name "sea cow" by the way the slowly graze through seagrass beds along the coast.While they can become quite large, they are really no harm to any living creature. Many years ago, sailors mistook these gentle giants for mermaids or sirens because of their long tails. Sadly because of their size and the fact that they aren't the quickest swimmers makes it difficult for them to get out of the way of passing boats. While this site hopes to inform you of the general characteristics of manatees, I also hope you learn ways to help preserve them.