Manatee Conservation
Trichechus manatus
The West Indian (Antillean) Manatee
Description
There are two subspecies within the West Indian Manatee; the Florida manatee and the Antillean manatee. The West Indian Antillean manatee is a large aquatic mammal with an average weight of about 500 kilograms and 3 meters long. They are often referred to as the “Sea Cow” due to their large size and herbivores diet. They are fully aquatic mammals with two front dorsal fins with four fingernails on each, and no hind legs. They have a light fur coat and a big upper lip with whiskers on it. They reach sexual maturity around the age of 3 to 5 years old and can produce a calf every two years.
Ecology
They are herbivorous and eat a wide variety of aquatic vegetation; eating up to 10 to 15% of their body weight in food per day. Because they are herbivorous and don’t have many predators, they are very slow moving and gentle creatures and therefore don’t need intense features to stay alive.
Geographic and Population Changes
In the past, manatees could be found along the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and even down to Brazil. But, due to habitat loss and hunting, they are less common in those ranges.
Manatees inhabit slow-moving rivers, estuaries, bays, and coastal waters. They prefer shallow, calm waters with an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Their current range is off the coast of the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, Central and Southern America, and the Gulf Coast of Mexico. They can’t handle water temperatures under 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so in the Winter they migrate to the warm waters of Florida.
Since the beginning of the documentation of the manatee population in 1991, the population has increased. As of February 2017, there are at least 6,000 manatees in Florida.
Listing Date & Type of Listing
THREATENED since March 11, 1967
Cause and Main Threats to Existence
- Boat collisions: about 40% of manatee deaths are human-related from boat collisions. They are caused by oblivious driving where the manatees collide with the propellers of the boat. Manatees are also very slow moving animals, so it’s difficult for them to quickly swim away from an oncoming boat.
- Loss of warm water: There is expected to be an increase in loss of warm water habitats and manatees dependence on warm water from power plant discharge is unreliable. Manatees depend on warm water and one of their greatest threats is the thermal shock of cold water.
- Habitat Loss: Growth in human population on coasts has caused a decrease in habitat and loss of growth of seagrass. This is a result of the development of more bays that create a decrease in water purity and damage from the propellers of boats.
Description of Recovery Plan
Part I. Background Info
1) Brief outline of executive plan
2) Summary of different species, description, distribution, and history
3) Habitat, Ecology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Part II. Recovery Plan
Lack of historical info and data to tell if recovery is applicable
1) More of an effort should be put into collecting more data.
2) Radio tracking should be implemented in order to track manatee habitat use and movement so that agencies that alter their habitat are aware of its effects on the manatee
Part III. Objective
The goal is to recover the manatee population in Puerto Rico by making sure the population is large enough for the population to evolve and respond to their habitat.
3 Objectives
1. Decrease human-related mortality
2. Minimize habitat alteration
3. Obtain proper data in order to better understand whether or not, and how to classify their recovery.
What can you do?
Level 1: On the water
- Be alert while boating and keep a lookout for manatees in the water.
- Slow down!
- Stay in deep water
- Avoid areas with lots of seagrasses
Level 2: You want a friend
You can adopt a manatee!
Your donation will go towards protecting their habitat, advocating for slow speed zones, and educating the public on their threats.
Level 3: You’re passionate
Educate yourself through research and become an advocate for manatee preservation by speaking up to the public and government officials!
Other resources
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/west-indian-manatee/#west-indian-manatee-group.jpg
Bibliography
1) “West Indian Manatee - Trichechus Manatus.” West Indian Manatee - Trichechus Manatus - NatureWorks, www.nhptv.org/natureworks/manatee.htm.
2) “West Indian Manatees, Trichechus Manatus.” MarineBio.org, marinebio.org/species.asp?id=46.
3) “Manatee Facts.” Save the Manatee Club, www.savethemanatee.org/manatees/facts/.
4) “West Indian Manatee.” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/mammals/manatee.
5) Trichechus Manatus .” Trichechus Manatus (American Manatee, West Indian Manatee), www.iucnredlist.org/details/22103/0.
Manatee Conservation
Trichechus manatus
The West Indian (Antillean) Manatee
Description
Ecology
Geographic and Population Changes
In the past, manatees could be found along the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and even down to Brazil. But, due to habitat loss and hunting, they are less common in those ranges.
Manatees inhabit slow-moving rivers, estuaries, bays, and coastal waters. They prefer shallow, calm waters with an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Their current range is off the coast of the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, Central and Southern America, and the Gulf Coast of Mexico. They can’t handle water temperatures under 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so in the Winter they migrate to the warm waters of Florida.Since the beginning of the documentation of the manatee population in 1991, the population has increased. As of February 2017, there are at least 6,000 manatees in Florida.
Listing Date & Type of Listing
THREATENED since March 11, 1967
Cause and Main Threats to Existence
- Boat collisions: about 40% of manatee deaths are human-related from boat collisions. They are caused by oblivious driving where the manatees collide with the propellers of the boat. Manatees are also very slow moving animals, so it’s difficult for them to quickly swim away from an oncoming boat.
- Loss of warm water: There is expected to be an increase in loss of warm water habitats and manatees dependence on warm water from power plant discharge is unreliable. Manatees depend on warm water and one of their greatest threats is the thermal shock of cold water.
- Habitat Loss: Growth in human population on coasts has caused a decrease in habitat and loss of growth of seagrass. This is a result of the development of more bays that create a decrease in water purity and damage from the propellers of boats.
Description of Recovery Plan
Part I. Background Info
1) Brief outline of executive plan
2) Summary of different species, description, distribution, and history
3) Habitat, Ecology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Part II. Recovery Plan
Lack of historical info and data to tell if recovery is applicable
1) More of an effort should be put into collecting more data.
2) Radio tracking should be implemented in order to track manatee habitat use and movement so that agencies that alter their habitat are aware of its effects on the manatee
Part III. Objective
The goal is to recover the manatee population in Puerto Rico by making sure the population is large enough for the population to evolve and respond to their habitat.
3 Objectives
1. Decrease human-related mortality
2. Minimize habitat alteration
3. Obtain proper data in order to better understand whether or not, and how to classify their recovery.
What can you do?
Level 1: On the water
- Be alert while boating and keep a lookout for manatees in the water.
- Slow down!
- Stay in deep water
- Avoid areas with lots of seagrasses
Level 2: You want a friend
You can adopt a manatee!
Your donation will go towards protecting their habitat, advocating for slow speed zones, and educating the public on their threats.
Educate yourself through research and become an advocate for manatee preservation by speaking up to the public and government officials!
Other resources
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/west-indian-manatee/#west-indian-manatee-group.jpg
Bibliography
1) “West Indian Manatee - Trichechus Manatus.” West Indian Manatee - Trichechus Manatus - NatureWorks, www.nhptv.org/natureworks/manatee.htm.
2) “West Indian Manatees, Trichechus Manatus.” MarineBio.org, marinebio.org/species.asp?id=46.
3) “Manatee Facts.” Save the Manatee Club, www.savethemanatee.org/manatees/facts/.
4) “West Indian Manatee.” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/mammals/manatee.
It's crazy that something has been threatened as long ago as 1967. With that in mind, I feel like the recovery plan should have been implemented decades ago. Great blog though. - Jacob Lafarga
ReplyDeleteI did not realize that manatees are able to eat up to 15% of their body weight a day, that's crazy. Hopefully with humans being more mindful of manatee environments, especially in regards to boat use, manatee populations will continue to rise in Florida. -Sophie Topping Zimmerman
ReplyDeleteReally interesting blog! Amazing how these sea cows can eat almost 10-15% of their body fat each day. However, it is really sad that 40% of these manatees are killed from boat collisions. That is so many :(. I really feel like adopting a manatee. -Daniel Tomer
ReplyDeleteHey! Great job. That is nuts that 40% of manatee deaths are related to humans from boat collisions! That is literally inane! I am going deep sea fishing with a friend in a couple of weeks, so I will have to tell him to watch out for them as we are boating out there. - Grantland Tracy
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I had no idea how much boat collisions affect manatees. That is such a dumb and preventable cause of death that could be changed if boaters were more educated. -Alyssa Slattery
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea how endangered manatees were, it makes me so sad. I wish that everyone realized how preventable all of these dangers to manatees are! -Caleigh Smith
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they need to eat 10-15% of their body weight in vegetation each day. That's a lot of plants! - Amy Sublett
ReplyDelete