When was the first manatee discovered?

It's impossible to say when the first manatee was discovered. Here's why:

* Manatees have existed for a very long time: Their evolutionary history goes back millions of years.

* Ancient encounters: Humans have likely encountered manatees for millennia, especially in coastal areas where they are found.

* No specific "discovery": There wasn't a single, definitive moment when manatees were "discovered" in the way we might think of a new species.

What we can say is that:

* Ancient records: There are accounts of manatees in ancient Greek and Roman writings.

* Early European exploration: European explorers encountered manatees in the Americas and Caribbean during their voyages in the 15th and 16th centuries.

So, while we can't pinpoint the exact "discovery" date, manatees have been part of human history and understanding for a very long time.