Download The Manatee

The Manatee
Description: West Indian manatees are large, gray-brown aquatic
mammals with bodies that taper to a flat, paddle- shaped tail. They have
two flippers with three to four nails on each, and their head and face are
wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee's closest relative is the
elephant and hyrax (a small furry animal that resembles a rodent).
Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal.
The West Indian manatee is related to the West African manatee, the
Amazonian manatee, the dugong, and Steller's sea cow, which was hunted
to extinction in 1768. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and
weighs about 1,000 pounds.
Habitat and Range: Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving
rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals and coastal areas. Manatees are a
migratory species. Within the United States, West Indian manatees are
concentrated in Florida in the winter, but can be found in summer months
as far west as Alabama and as far north as Virginia and the Carolinas.
West Indian manatees can also be found in the coastal and inland
waterways of Central America and along the northern coast of South
America, although distribution in these areas may be spotty.
Behavior: Manatees are
gentle and slow-moving.
Most of their time is spent
eating, resting, and in
travel. Manatees are
completely herbivorous.
They eat aquatic plants
and can consume 10-15%
of their body weight daily
in vegetation. They graze
for food along water
bottoms and on the
surface. They may rest submerged at the bottom or just below the surface,
coming up to breathe on the average of every three to five minutes. When
manatees are using a great deal of energy, they may surface to breathe as
often as every 30 seconds.
Lifespan, Mortality, Population: West Indian manatees have no natural
enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. Many manatee
mortalities are human-related. Most human-related manatee mortalities
occur from collisions with watercraft. Other causes of human-related
manatee mortalities include being crushed and/or drowned in canal locks
and flood control structures; ingestion of fish hooks, litter and
monofilament line; entanglement in crab trap lines; and vandalism.
Ultimately, however, loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing
manatees today. There are approximately 2,600 West Indian manatees left
in the United States.
Breeding and
Reproduction: The
reproductive rate for
manatees is slow. Female
manatees are not sexually
mature until five years
old, and males are mature
around nine years of age.
It is believed that one calf
is born every two to five
years; twins are rare. The
gestation period is
approximately 13 months. Mothers nurse their young for a long period
and a calf may remain dependent on its mother for up to two years.
Legal Protection: West Indian manatees in the United States are protected
under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt,
capture, or kill any marine mammal. West Indian manatees are also
protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 which states: "It
is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to
annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee." Anyone convicted of
violating Florida's state law faces a possible maximum fine of $1,000
and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days. Conviction on the federal level is
punishable by a fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison.
Conservation: The Manatee Recovery Plan was developed as a result of
the Endangered Species Act. The recovery plan is coordinated by the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and sets forth a list of tasks geared
toward recovering manatees from their current endangered status. Save
the Manatee Club is part of the Manatee Recovery Team which carries out
the tasks in the plan under the auspices of the USFWS. In addition , SMC
is part of the Manatee Technical Advisory Council which makes
recommendations to the head of the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (FDEP) on manatee protection issues.