expected to weigh around 420 kg. Weight in adults is typically more than 250 kg and less than 900 kg. The largest individual recorded was 4.06 m long and weighed 1016 kg, and was found off the Saurashtra coast of west India. Females tend to be larger than males.

The body is sparsely covered in short hair, a common feature among sirenians which may allow for tactile interpretation of their environment. These hairs are most