- November 1 marks the beginning of Manatee Awareness Month - a month dedicated to raising awareness of these gentle giants.
- Manatees, also known as sea cows, are water-bound mammals with a gentle demeanor.
- Here are 20 beautiful photos of manatees in honor of the month.
- Read more stories like this on Business Insider.
Manatees are known as the cows of the sea.
These gentle giants have captured our imagination for centuries. They're the animals Christopher Columbus likely saw when he reported seeing mermaids swimming in the ocean near the Dominican Republic in 1493 - although the supposed mermaids were "not as beautiful as they are represented," the explorer wrote.
Though the manatee has no natural predators, these slow creatures were on the endangered species list for years due to human activity like hunting and boating. However, these intelligent mammals are making a comeback and were taken off the endangered species list in 2017, though they are still considered threatened.
With November 1 marking the beginning of Manatee Awareness Month, here are 20 breathtaking pictures of manatees.