With a face only its mother could love, a body able to discourage any predators just because of its large size and the knack for gaining popularity even as its population decreases, the Florida manatee has become an icon of Florida wildlife.
They are amazing creatures and one of the most gentle and nurturing animals I have ever encountered. Diving with these "Gentle Giants" in the chilly waters of the Central Florida Springs, left a lasting impression I'll never forget. My experience left me wanting to know more of these majestic beasts whom I had spent the better part of the day with so I did a little research. I found that the Florida manatee is closely related to the elephant, and is Florida’s state marine mammal. These "Gentle giants," as they are called, are herbivorous, and eat up to as much as 15% of their body weight of vegetation a day, which includes very little fat. They average about 10 feet long and weigh about 1,000 lbs. An adult manatee spends 6 to 8 hours eating, and the rest of the day resting or navigating Florida's many waterways.
They are slow moving creatures, and are as slow to reproduce. The female, also know as a Cow, hence the name "Sea Cow", matures in 5 to 9 years and will give birth to one calf every 2 to 5 years nursing their young underwater, on teats under the her flippers. The little ones swim alongside the mother for about 2 years, as they learn the travel routes and survival skills.
They have no natural enemies, and it is believed that their lifespan is about 60 years or more. However many manatee deaths are human-related, most are a result of collisions with boats and other causes being crushed and/or drowned in canal locks and flood control structures; ingestion of fish hooks, litter and monofilament line; and entanglement in crab trap lines. Ultimately, however, loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing manatees today. In January 2000, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission counted only a little more than 2,200 manatees surviving and in 1999, the all-time high death toll of 268 animals was recorded, and within the first three months of that year, 100 had already died. Their numbers have risen slightly in the past few years, yet the Florida manatee remains on the brink of extinction, as there are approximately 3,000 manatees left in the United States.
1 Response
I love them!!!!!
That must have been an awesome experience.
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