There are so many mammals on earth with so many different shapes, sizes, colors and behaviors. Think giraffes and gerbils side by side. For me, the candidate for most unusual mammal, though, might be the manatee. I've never seen a manatee, even at a zoo, but when I come upon a photo, I'm always startled. Their huge bulbous shapes! And they live just floating around a few feet below the surface, dining on plants. Their faces reveal a surprising sensitivity and intelligence. Some reportedly live into their sixties.

It's unfortunate that their size and peaceful slow movement make them vulnerable to run-ins with human activity and machinery. Apparently many are killed or maimed each year by boat propellers. We could do better than this. It's not so much being aware of manatees (which is important) as being aware when we enter say a river, recognizing we are visiting the home for many kinds of life, that we are sharing the space. It isn't that we don't know how to tread lightly. It's about choosing to tread lightly, about choosing coexistence - life - over domination.