Young Writers Society

Have you ever wanted to do something that you might not get to do in the future? I did. I got to swim with the wonderful marine mammal called the manatee. Some people say, ‘What’s a manatee? What’s so special about it?’

The manatee is a large animal thought to be related to the walrus because of the way they look. Today, experts can tell that the manatee is related closer to the elephant than any other living thing. They also believe that this mammal was once thought that they evolved from land mammals that returned back to the watery life. Manatees are large marine mammals that weigh up to 2000 pounds or a ton and can reach up to 12 feet in length. Their large bodies can only be supported in the watery environment like whales or dolphins. The manatee is also called the ‘sea cow’. The sea cow is the only marine mammal that is a herbivore, and just to keep their bodies warm, they have to eat up to 100 pounds of water plants a day. If we ate that much, we would have to eat up to 200 heads of lettuce, that’s a lot. Sadly, these lovely animals are endangered of becoming extinct. There are about 3200 manatees left in the wild. (Wild Ones,)

Long before the European explorers discovered the lands of North America, the Native Americans were hunting the manatee. Ancient ceremonial pipes carved in the shape of manatees show the importance of these animals to their culture. They used the manatee hide to make leather war shields, shoes, and even canoes. Most of all, they hunted to manatee for their meat. One large manatee can feed an entire village for several days. The early explorers who saw the manatee for the first time thought these creatures were ‘mermaids’ or ‘sirens’, there for giving them the name Sirenia. Also, unlike the Native Americans, explores killed the manatee for their hide and did not use the rest of the manatee. (Virginia Alvin, 12-13)

Manatees are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMP) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). These acts make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. Anyone find guilty of abusing Florida’s state law faces a maximum fine of $500 and/or up to 60 days in federal prison. The Florida Manatee Recovery Plan was developed as a result of the ESA. This plan is coordinated by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and sets forth a list of tasks geared toward recovering the manatee from their status. The public can also help save the sea cow. Don’t litter. That’s it. If you’re a boater, wear propeller guards, and obey the rules of the water. With the manatee having no natural enemies, they are endangered by the careless actions of the people living near manatee habitats. They can become entangled in plastic soda pop can holders and plastic bags. A good way to help is to pick up any trash on the shores that could be swept into the water and jeopardize the animals living there. (Save the Manatee Club, Virginia Alvin 37)

Manatees probably live a maximum of 50 to 60 years. They have little predators like sharks, alligators, and crocodiles. They are a lot of causes of death. Natural causes like cold water, lakes and rivers dry up, loss of habitat, diseases and parasites, and red tide. Red tide is algae are vitally important to marine ecosystems, and most species of algae are not harmful. However, under certain environmental conditions, a microscopic marine alga that grows quickly, creating blooms that can make the ocean appear red or brown. People often call the blooms “red tide.” Did you know that the human population in Florida increases by nearly 1,000 people daily? Human causes are the largest causes of deaths of all. Due to their dark color and because they are slow swimmers, manatees are difficult to see in the water. At least 20% to 22% of manatee deaths in Florida occur from watercraft accidents yearly. Collisions with boats and barges are the largest human related factor causing manatee deaths in Florida. Although the engine propellers are dangerous, collisions with boats cause the most water related deaths. In 1995, 12 manatees expired from propeller injuries while 25 died from impact wounds. Impacts with fast moving watercrafts cause life threatening internal injuries that are often hard to locate and treat. Manatees try to dive away from the boats but they are to slow so they can’t escape in time to avoid injuries. Also they get entangled in fishing and crab trap lines, sometimes ending in serious wounds. In spite the fact that manatees are legally protected, poachers and vandals are also responsible for manatee deaths. In some areas, manatees are hunted for food, others are victims of harassment. Sea cows have been found with fishing line or crab trap lines wrapped tightly around them. These materials can tightly around the manatee’s flippers, causing serious infections, amputations or death. In a survey 439 manatee carcasses, 14.4 % had debris in their stomachs and many serious internal wounds. (Sea world)

It’s hard to imagine why people would hurt these creatures. If the population in Florida keeps rising at the rate it’s at, the population and habitat of the manatee will disappear soon. By people understanding and educated about the manatee, maybe we can save them from state their at.