WORLD

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MANATEES

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MANATEES
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Avellon Williams 

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO- Manatees are large, gray marine mammals, gentle, and docile that live in shallow waters of coastal regions often found in Florida. They have a long snout,or muzzle, and paddle-shaped flippers. They also have no external ear, but they do have an excellent sense of hearing which is aided by the large surface area of their head. They have been around for a long time.

But, did you know they are, however, found throughout the Caribbean rivers and swamps as well? Explore the facts below to find out where manatees live, why they are sometimes referred to as “sea cows,” and what the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is doing to protect their habitats:

WHAT ARE THE 3 SPECIES OF MANATEES?

• West Indian Manatee

• Amazonian Manatee

• West African Manatee

WHERE DO MANATEES LIVE?

Nariva Swamp Trinidad, /Image, DTT/

West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) live throughout the Caribbean, including Mexico, Belize, Colombia, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago. They move between freshwater rivers, mangrove forests, and saltwater seagrass beds to find food and shelter.

Nariva Swamp in Trinidad is home to manatees. It is the largest freshwater wetland in Trinidad and Tobago (over 60 square kilometers). Listed as a Wetland of International Importance, the swamp encompasses 58 species of mammals including West Indian Manatees, Anacondas, Red Howler, and Capuchin monkeys, caimans, the blue and gold macaw (now being reintroduced after being hunted to extinction), and different species of mangroves.

In addition to being an important wintering ground for migratory waterfowl, it is a fish breeding ground.

HOW BIG DO MANATEES GROW?

Manatees size /Image, The Guardian/

Typically, manatees reach lengths of 9-10 feet long, and weigh 1,000 pounds, but can reach lengths of over 13 feet and up to 3,500 pounds.

WHAT DO MANATEES EAT?

Manatees eat seagrasses /Image, STMC/

Manatees are herbivores. Their diet mainly consists of seagrasses found on the seafloor, plant leaves, and plant roots, as they graze along the seabed and eat giving them the nickname “sea cow”.

Their grazing helps to maintain balance in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Some manatees (the African manatees) are documented to be omnivorous, whose diet entails meat drawn from fish and a wide array of estuarine mollusks, in addition to their plant diet.

WHEN DO MANATEES EAT?

Manatees eat any time /Image, KM/

Manatees do not strictly display nocturnal or diurnal tendencies; on the contrary, these aquatic mammals can feed at any time of the day. Manatees can spend between 6 and 8 hours a day eating.

WHAT EATS MANATEES? 

Humans hunt Manatees /Image, Maaz/

Unlike other animals, manatees do not have natural predators. The hunting of manatees has been documented by animals like alligators, sharks, and crocodiles. However, this is infrequent, considering they do not occupy the same waters. Man presents the greatest threat to manatees. Historically, human beings have been noted to hunt manatees because of their meat, oil, and skin (known to have therapeutic capabilities).

WHY DO MANATEES LIKE MANGROVES?

Manatees enjoy living in Mangroves /Image, 4Ocean/

Manatees love mangroves; they use them for food and a quiet place to rest and raise their young. Mangrove trees grow in salty water along the coast between rivers and oceans all over the Caribbean. The trees grow tightly together, creating small open passageways over the water that provide safe underwater shelter for the manatees.

ARE MANATEES AT RISK?

Manatee caught by sailors /Image, SFTS/

Manatees continue to face many threats, including collisions with boats, habitat loss and degradation, fishing gear entanglement, human harassment, exposure to red tide and other harmful algal blooms, and climate change.

Due to these threats, the slow-moving marine mammals are currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The greatest long-term threat is the loss of warm-water habitat.

CAN MANATEES HURT YOU?

Manatees are gentle animals /Image, Quora/

No, manatees are not harmful. Unlike other marine animals, manatees are peaceful and calm. Curiosity is one of their best qualities, and they enjoy interacting with humans and staying near them. Because of this, manatees approach swimmers or divers frequently for a belly rub.

HOW DOES WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) PROTECT MANATEES AND THEIR HABITATS?

Protect Manatees /Image, WWF/

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is working in places like Belize partnering with local communities and organizations to protect seagrass beds and restore and protect key mangrove areas, and in Mexico through Mangroves for Community and Climate program.

“By protecting coastal ecosystems, we are also preserving valuable habitat for manatees.”

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Avellon Williams

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