Amazonian manatee

As the smallest member of the manatee family, the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) is the only sirenian (sea cow) species found exclusively in freshwater. Making its home in the Amazon River and its tributaries, the Amazonian manatee eats aquatic vegetation. Because they feed on the water surface, they are particularly vulnerable to hunting. "The Amazonian Manatee is considered endangered by the IUCN. The Amazonian manatee has been heavily hunted by subsistence and commercial hunters. It has been sought for meat, oil and fat, and at one time for its hide, which was in demand for use as water hoses and machine belts. Other threats include accidental drowning in commercial fishing nets and degradation of food supplies by soil erosion resulting from deforestation."