Manatee Facts

     Manatees have been on the endangered species list for years but as of January 2016, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the West Indian manatee has been removed from the endangered species list to the threatened species list. In the 1970s just a few hundred manatees were swimming the seas but the current population just in Florida is around 6,620. 

     

     There are 3 types of known manatee species:

1. West Indian Manatee, the largest species of manatee in the world.
2. Amazonian Manatee, generally found in freshwater lakes and lagoons.
3. African Manatee, the least known species. 

Description:

    

      Manatees are close relatives to Elephants, Hyrax, Dugong and Stellar's Sea Cow. "Manatee" comes from the Crab word "manti" which means breast udder. Adults can grow to 13 feet long and weigh 1,300 pounds. Manatees are the largest herbivores in the ocean, they consume 10-15 percent of their body weight in vegetation every day. Manatees are large and gray with a paddle-shaped tail and they have two flippers with 3-4 nails on each. They also have a large snout with wrinkled faces and whiskers. Using their tails they can go short bursts at 15 mph but typically like to swim at a mere 5 mph. 

Habitat:

     Manatees can typically be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, salt-water bays, canals, and coastal areas. Manatees are migratory and can be found in Florida in the winter. The summer months they can be seen from as far as Texas to Massachusetts. West Indian Manatees can also be found in coastal and inland waterways of Central America and along the northern coast of South America. Manatees can hold their breath for 15 to 20 minutes but they usually surface every 5 minutes to breathe. With one breath a manatee can replace 90 percent of the air in their lungs, compared to humans who can only replace 10 percent. 

     

Death and Protection laws:

      Manatees have no natural enemies and it is believed that they can live up to 60 years plus. Most manatee deaths are due to natural causes but a high amount of deaths is human-related. Most human-related fatalities involving manatees are usually collisions with watercraft or being crushed in canal docks. Another large percentage is the ingestion of fish hooks, litter, and entanglement in crab trap lines. The biggest and most serious threat to manatees is loss of habitat. Manatees are protected under the Manatee Sanctuary Act which states its unlawful to molest, harass, or disturb the animals. 

Offspring:

     Manatees are not sexually mature until 5 years old and their reproductive rate is fairly low. During mating, a female manatee will be followed by 12 or more males. One calf will be born every two to five years. A female manatees gestation period is about a year and mothers will nurse for the first two years of the calves life. 

     

Beach Clean-up Essentials

photo from surfrider foundation

     When I first started beach cleanups I walked onto the beach with no gloves and no trash bag and would pick up large items here and there. Since learning about plastic pollution and obvious sanitary issues I started getting serious about my clean up efforts and over time have found things that work better for me than others. If you're not sure how to start or what you may need, this list of essentials will easily help get you started on making a difference on your local beaches.

1. Gloves

     You can use whatever gloves you have or prefer, I used to just buy a box of medical grade gloves BUT it is not very sustainable to use plastic when trying to rid plastic so I started to opt for fabric garden gloves. You can get cute ones or use ones you may already have laying around, it's really up to you. You also have different options as to what type of glove, again it doesn't matter that much as long as it's comfortable and lets your hands breathe but won't puncture easily. They're also fairly cheap so if you can't afford much there are tons of options under $10.

 

2. A bucket 

     You can, of course, use any sort of trash bag or plastic bag you may have gotten at the grocery store but if you're looking for something more sustainable and easier to work with I recommend a bucket. Typically this works well especially if it is breezy. I've had so many times I was using a trash bag and it somehow opened on me and trash fell out or I put the bag down to do something and the wind took it. Another problem I always came across was the bag twisting around itself and not being able to open it easier and I spent more time fighting with the bag than picking up the trash. With a bucket, you just plop it in the area you are working and throw things in as you go, you have two hands to work with and it makes things flow much easier. Another suggestion is using a lid on your bucket so when it starts to become full, you aren't losing pieces of trash from the wind blowing them out. The best part is that though the bucket is typically plastic it is reusable and you can buy them in bulk if you are organizing a cleanup. You could also use those pop-up hampers, the only con to those is that they can fly away and they aren't as easy to cleanout.


3. First aid kit

     You don't need to carry this one with you but I would recommend keeping one in your car or at your beach station if you've set up a towel with other things. You never know what could happen while cleaning up, anything from cuts and scratches to insect bites. You have tons of different options from basic kits to advanced if you're first aid certified the more pieces in a kit you buy, the better.


4. Reusable water bottle 

     A must. It will be hot on the beach, especially in summer, you'll be doing a lot of walking and bending down and standing up. You will want the water. Some beaches have water fountains where you can refill your bottle as you go as well. I recommend stainless steel, you can use glass as well but when the bottle sweats the sand will stick to your glass a lot more than a steel one. 
 

5. Scale 

     This one is definitely optional. I prefer using a scale so at the end of the day I can weigh the amount of trash I have picked up and keep a log. A simple food/kitchen scale will work for this (obviously one that is designated for trash only.)

Support for Sand Cloud

     

     Sand Cloud was founded in 2014 and started out as a small business selling handwoven Turkish towels. In February 2017 Sand Cloud was featured on the hit tv show Shark Tank and got a deal with shark Robert Herjavec. Since their deal in just four months, they went from $1.6 million to $2.7 million. Now, what is Sand Cloud you ask?

      Sand Cloud is a company that sells towels, apparel, and accessories. Every purchase from their website guarantees a 10% profit donation to non-profits that support the Sand Cloud mission. 

These non-profits include.   

• Marine Conservation Institute 
• Surfrider Foundation 
• Pacific Marine Mammal center 
• San Diego coast keeper 
• Hawaii wildlife fund
• Ocean connectors

     Sand Cloud also offers a Monthly VIP subscription. For $26 a month you can get an exclusive t-shirt and matching socks based on the marine animal of the month. The total value of the box is over $50. Each month 10% of your box subscription will be donated to the marine nonprofits listed above.  

     Sand Cloud also offers an ambassador program. The ambassador promise is to 

1. Spread the mission using social media

2. Get the chance to be featured on social media

3. Discounts on all products 

     Just hashtag #SaveTheFishies to spread the word. 

Visit: https://www.sandcloud.com/