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