Manatee

I have been in love with manatees for about 25 years and impressed with their incredible grace. Their face displays an awesome beauty and their eyes reflect a magnificant soul. Gods artwork in action.

In spite of its large size, this fascinating mammal gracefully moves along in slow but steady motion by itself or in smaller groups. Manatees are found in warm tropical and subtropical waters. The Florida manatee inhabits bays, rivers, and coastal areas where seagrass and other vegetation abound. They are flexible and able to consume large amounts of vegetation daily. Most of their feeding is done underwater so manatees must be able to hold their breath long enough to feed efficiently. At rest a large manatee can stay submerged for 20 minutes. When active it surfaces for air more frequently.

Calves are born underwater but must surface immediately to breathe air. It maneuvers alone within an hour and nurses from a nipple located in the "armpit" area of the mother. After about a month the calf supplements by grazing on various local vegetation.

A calf stays with its mother for one to two years although it's nutritionally independent by the end of first year. It must learn feeding area locations, warm water refuges and migratory routes from its mother before leaving her side.

Manatees have well developed eyes; are adapted to hear ultrasound; can taste and probably smell. The sense of touch appears to be important to them. Females and calves maintain lots of body contact. Their daily behavior centers around six to eight hours spent feeding and several more hours of resting, either alone or with other manatees. The remainder of the day can include traveling; curious investigation of objects; and socializing by mouthing, rubbing against or playing with each other. Socializing manatees may also be observed nuzzling one another.

STATISTICS:

LENGTH FROM HEAD TO TAIL: 8-13 feet
WEIGHT: 400 to 1,300 pounds
FOOD: water plants, sea grass, and algae
LIFE SPAN: 40 years in the wild
REPRODUCTION: pregnancy as long as 13 months usually bearing 1 calf
HABITAT: rivers, bays and coastal areas

Manatees are basically harmless with no natural enemies. They were once hunted by man but todays laws protect them from slaughter. Unfortunately these laws can't protect them from being severely cut by motorboat propeller blades. The manatee can get hit when it comes up for air because the nose only comes out of the water. At high speeds the motorist can't see the manatee and there's a theory that manatees can't hear the boat coming. There are measures introduced to protect the manatee such as a protective guard over the propeller blades and extending the lowered speed limit area but they've been met with limited success.

POETRY IN MOTION:

© 1999 D.R. & T.L. Schrichte

Legislation, Protection, and Education are good beginnings to protecting the manatees future. It is no simple task and commitment must be made for the long term. Manatees are an endangered species and dying in greater numbers each year. It is feared that the time may come when there will not be enough manatees left to maintain a viable population. The real key to their survival involves a change in human attitudes and boating activities. Conservation for the future means restriction of current policies. Our actions affect their tommorrow.

Quote from a Friend: "They are one of the neatest, sweetest, most placid and peaceful looking creatures on the face of the earth as far as I'm concerned."...Nancy

Save the Manatee Club
500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751, USA.
1-800-432-JOIN (5646) within the U.S.,
(407) 539-0990 outside the U.S.
FAX: (407) 539-0871.
education@savethemanatee.org (manatee information)
membership@savethemanatee.org (membership information)