Florida Everglades Manatees are peace loving marine mammals. Scientists have studied them and can tell all about how they behave and live. However, if you were able to ask an ancient person about them, you might learn that they aren't really animals at all. All kinds of stories about manatees make them out to be mermaids who flirt and lure men out to sea.
Identification
Florida Everglades Manatees belong to the order, Sirenia. The order got its name from Greek mythology. The sirens were female spirits that distracted sailors from their courses and caused them to shipwreck. The manatees are mammals who live in shallow sea water harbors, lagoons, estuaries and in the mouths of large rivers. Florida Everglades Manatees live along the south Atlantic coasts of the United States from North Carolina to Florida. They are also found in Central America.
Size
Adult manatees range from seven to 12 feet long. They weigh between 450 to 2000 pounds. Newborn manatees weigh a mere 60 pounds. Strict vegetarians, they must eat between 60 to 100 pounds of seaweed every day.
Features
A manatee has a long oval-shaped body that begins with a round head and very small eyes. A short flattish muzzle is at the front of its head. There are two nostrils which shut like valves under the water. There are six teeth on each side of its jaw. The two lobes on its upper lip each move independently. There is coarse hair all over the manatee's body but on its muzzle there are bristles. Its body is narrowest at the tail which is shaped and used like a flat paddle. Manatees do not have hind legs or limbs but they do have short front flippers that help them to paddle in the water.
Function
Manatees are born live, like other mammals. When a mother manatee nurses her infant, she holds the suckling baby to her chest with her front flippers. After giving birth under water, the female manatee pushes her infant to the surface for its first breath of air as fast as possible. Even an adult manatee can only remain under water for 15 minutes. Then it must come up to breath. When it is resting, an adult manatee's heart beats 50 times per minute. When it dives, the heart rate slows to 30. Resting manatees just float in the water.
Risk Factors
Humans have been known to hunt manatees for their red meat and for the sweet oil that they produce. They are also preyed on by crocodiles, sharks and killer whales. This is why they try to stay in very shallow water.
