Legend has it that there is an animal in the ocean that looks like both a human and a fish. People also gave it the nickname "Mermaid". There are many myths, legends and records about "mermaids" in the world. According to legend, in ancient times, there was a Venetian merchant sh

Legend has it that there is an animal in the ocean that looks like both a human and a fish. People also gave it the nickname "Mermaid".

There are many myths, legends and records about "mermaids" in the world. According to legend, in ancient times, there was a Venetian merchant ship loaded with exotic goods from the East, which had been drifting in the vast sea for more than a year. One night, with the bright moon in the sky and the twinkling stars, a sailor standing on the deck saw a vaguely visible beauty with a fish-tail on the sea in the distance, holding a baby who was quietly sucking breast milk in her arms, a warm and harmonious look. The love between mother and child immediately aroused people's nostalgia for their hometown and their relatives.

As a result, the crew worked together and worked together to overcome various difficulties and obstacles and returned to Italy victoriously. In the ancient Chinese book "Shu Yi Ji", there is also such a record: "There is a mermaid in the South China Sea. She has a fish-shaped body, can spin and weave, and sheds tears when she cries." In many legends about "mermaids" In ancient times, people not only personified this animal, but also regarded it as a beautiful and kind goddess.

Is there a "mermaid" in the world? What kind of animal is a "mermaid"?

The animals called "mermaids" are actually some sea beasts that live in oceans and rivers, called manatees . There are currently only four species of this animal left, and the one commonly seen along the coast of the South my country Sea is called dugong . In addition to China, this animal is also distributed around the Indian Ocean and along the coasts of Southeast Asian countries. Although the manatee is called "cow", in fact, this animal has neither the sharp horns nor the thick limbs of a cow. Except for the everted mouth that looks like a cow, it has no resemblance to a cow at all. If we must be "related" to other animals, elephants on land are somewhat related. Although manatees live in the water like fish, they are mammals and have nothing to do with fish, so it makes no sense to call them "mermaids."

The entire body of a manatee is like a dolphin, with sparse, thick, and yellow spots all over its body. It has short brown hair, its face is very strange, and its upper lip is very outward, much like a yellow rolled lotus leaf. It looks not only unsightly, but also very ugly. There are two fist-sized breasts on both sides of the manatee's chest. It is similar to the position of human breasts. It seems that this is the biggest basis for calling it a "mermaid". Some people say that when a manatee is breastfeeding, its limbs are clasped in the sea. This is just some people deliberately making a mystery. When the manatee is breastfeeding, its body floats horizontally on the water, turning slightly sideways to allow the calf to suck on the nipple. When the mother manatee comes out of the water to breathe, she also holds the calf out of the sea to breathe.

The manatee has a quiet temperament and will eat well. , except for coming out of the water to breathe, they spend their time lurking on the seabed rocks at a depth of 30 to 40 meters. Wild manatees are generally afraid of contact with people, but they can be domesticated like dolphins, sea lions, and other sea animals. In addition to their edible meat, their hides can be used to make leather. Because manatees eat water and grass regularly and eat a lot, people also want to use manatees to clear weeds in harbors and rivers and dredge waterways.