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Manatees are calm herbivores that spend most of their time eating, sleeping, and traveling. They have a lifespan of about 60 years [1] with no known natural enemies. Some of their deaths are the result of human activity. In the past, manatees were exploited for their meat, fat, and hides. [2]
Manatees (/ ˈ m æ n ə t iː z /, family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows.There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living species in the order Sirenia: the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West ...
Manatees are frequently solitary creatures, but they do aggregate at warm-water habitats during the winter and during the formation of breeding herds. [11] In spite of their docile demeanor, due to their large size the West Indian manatee has nearly no natural predators in its native environment.
A drop in coastal water temperatures in Florida due to a recent polar vortex has caused manatees to search for warmer waters. A polar vortex event in Florida may result from climate change, which ...
Manatees can also inhale these brevotoxins from the surface of the water as they come up for air, leading to respiratory symptoms and even drowning. [75] Manatee die-offs from exposure to red tide toxins were recorded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in southwest Florida in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2013.
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The life support building contains 17 commercial rapid-sand filters and IntelliFlo pumps that process all water every 50 minutes allowing for excellent water quality that it is both healthy for the manatees and adequate for public viewing. A 2-ton, 16-foot mast, 16-feet jib crane sits between the calf and medical tanks to weigh and move animals.
In 2021 and 2022, Florida’s manatee population took a hit as thousands of manatees died of starvation. Manatees were dying in record-breaking numbers. But that trend may be slowing down