| Belonging to the Sirenia order of mammalians, | | | | Florida. The State strictly enforces speed |
| manatees are the common name for a large, | | | | restrictions in manatee habitats to protect the |
| gray or black air breathing water mammal. | | | | rare sea mammals from boating collisions. Still |
| Sometimes called a sea cow, the manatee looks | | | | 26% of manatee deaths are caused by collisions |
| somewhat like a hippopotamus. Adult manatees | | | | with watercrafts. |
| have large bodies averaging ten feet in length and | | | | According to Save the Manatee Club, Manatees |
| weighing between 440 and 1300 pounds. | | | | are currently facing total extinction. In 1996 |
| Manatees have a small head with a straight snout | | | | almost 20% of the world's entire manatee |
| having a bristly mustache on the upper lip. | | | | population died. Without intervention, the animal |
| Paddle-like forelimbs are used to move through | | | | faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in ten or |
| the water. | | | | more years (The World Conservation Union, |
| Manatees live in fresh, brackish, or salt water and | | | | IUCN). |
| roam with small herds somewhat like a family. Six | | | | The main causes of manatee death are |
| to eight hours a day is spent grazing upon | | | | human-related such as harassment, poaching for |
| seaweed and other marine plants. Their slow | | | | hides, meat, and blubber oil, entanglement in Flood |
| metabolism reduces the energy requirements, | | | | Gate or Canal Lock; habitat destruction; and |
| thus they move slowly through the water. | | | | deaths caused from fishing line, litter, vandalism, |
| Because of their size, manatees have few natural | | | | culverts and other man-made structures. Other |
| enemies. Humans are the primary threat to the | | | | causes of manatee death are natural causes such |
| health and safety of the manatees. After a | | | | as cold water temperatures, stress, red tide, |
| 12-month gestation period, the female manatee | | | | disease, and calving difficulties. |
| may give birth to a single, pink calf about once | | | | Harassment refers to pursuing, chasing, poking, |
| every three years. A mother may nurse her calf | | | | prodding, grabbing, riding, and feeding manatees or |
| from her teats located under her pectoral flippers. | | | | giving them water from a hose. This conditions |
| What is an Endangered Specie? | | | | them to take food or water from people. Some |
| An endangered specie is any plant or animal that | | | | people may use this opportunity to feed them |
| is in danger of extinction (dying off). Presently as | | | | dangerous non-food items or harm the manatee |
| many as 34,000 plant species and 5,200 animal | | | | in some way. Harassment by boaters, divers, |
| species around the world are in danger of | | | | swimmers, and people fishing can force manatees |
| extinction. Evolution of species accounts for a | | | | to leave preferred habitat such as warm water |
| normal process in extinction, (natural predators | | | | refuges. Harassment can also lead to separation |
| and climate changes that the specie cannot adapt | | | | of mother and calf. Save the Manatee® Club |
| to), but most causes of specie extinction are | | | | supports passive observation (observing from a |
| from habitat destruction, pollution, increases in | | | | distance) as the only way to interact with |
| human population, resource consumption, and | | | | manatees and all wildlife. |
| urban development. | | | | Jim Waymer reports that according to Florida |
| A plant or animal must be identified by a criteria | | | | government endangered manatees are dying at |
| put forth by the Endangered Specie Act of 1973. | | | | the rate of one per day. Marine patrol officer, |
| Before they can be identified, thousands of | | | | Dennis Harrah, estimated in June 2000 that only |
| species become extinct each year. | | | | 2,200 remained alive in Florida waters. Harrah has |
| The current global extinction rate is estimated at | | | | watched for 24 years as the manatees drift |
| about 20,000 species per year, exponentially | | | | toward extinction. |
| greater than the background extinction rate. Many | | | | Law enforcement has issued 67 citations and 37 |
| biologists believe that we are in the middle of the | | | | warnings for boaters who ignored the manatee |
| greatest mass extinction episode since the | | | | zones in Brevard County during the challenge |
| disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 million years | | | | period. Of those numbers, 42 of the citations and |
| ago. (Encarta msn.com) | | | | 27 of the warnings were issued to county |
| Why Protect the Manatees? | | | | residents who were aware of where the speed |
| The extinction of one or more species may | | | | zones are located. |
| affect the ecosystem and cause irreversibly | | | | In spite of fines and penalties harassment by |
| damage. For example, when sea otters near the | | | | humans continues to be an issue. Hundreds of |
| northern Pacific Rim were hunted almost to | | | | boaters protested a judge's ruling and the new |
| extinction in the 19th and early 20th centuries, | | | | manatee slow speed ruling by sounding their horns |
| sea urchin no longer had a major predator. This | | | | (a form of manatee harassment) while cruising |
| caused the sea urchin population to increase | | | | through the Barge Canal which provides access |
| drastically. Once the sea urchins ate the kelp and | | | | from Merritt Island to the Banana River and the |
| other seaweeds, the rich underwater ecosystem | | | | Indian River Lagoon. These boaters felt that the |
| became barren. When the U.S Marine Mammal Act | | | | new laws were jeopardizing their safety and |
| of 1972 set forth protective laws, sea otters | | | | violating their rights without actually protecting the |
| were reintroduced to the area. The kelp and | | | | manatees. |
| seaweed forests were restored. | | | | Protection of endangered species is vital to the |
| Humans depend upon the ecosystems to provide | | | | continued existence of harmony in our |
| food, water, and clean air, as well as many | | | | environment. There is something every human |
| medicines and products that are provided by | | | | can do to insure that our planet continues to |
| biodiversity. It is imperative that we protect and | | | | thrive. The process begins with the help of |
| save the lives of endangered plants and animals. | | | | citizens, but must be enforced by federal, state, |
| Typically manatees are found in the tropical and | | | | and local laws. Every creature on earth has a vital |
| subtropical waters of North and South America | | | | role in the ecosystem, and contributes to the well |
| and Africa, and are not native to the coasts of | | | | being of our planet. Consider helping our |
| Florida. The Florida manatees are sub-species of | | | | environment by: |
| the West Indian manatee brought to the coasts | | | | Avoiding restricted or protected manatee areas |
| of Florida in the 1700s. Then called sea cows, they | | | | Never touching or feeding a manatee |
| were kept in netted warm water corrals and | | | | Reporting tagged manatee to authorities |
| raised as a food source. When these mammals | | | | Reporting abuse and harassment |
| were released, many died from water | | | | It takes money, compassion, and a willingness to |
| temperatures that were too cool, and from | | | | sacrifice human conveniences to protect and keep |
| boating collisions. Manatees are herbivores, and eat | | | | endangered species alive. By obeying the |
| a variety of sixty or more sea grasses and | | | | protective laws and by donating time and money |
| plants. Conservation efforts are supported by the | | | | into this worthy cause, the manatee will survive, |
| fact that manatees clear plant-clogged river | | | | and future generations will continue to enjoy |
| channels used for irrigation and transportation. | | | | interaction with these gentle, affectionate, and |
| Therefore, manatees are protected by local and | | | | harmless sea creatures. |
| national legislation in every coastal county in | | | | |