The Endangered West Indian Manatee

The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus), or the Florida Manatee, as it is sometimes called is in great danger. This is one of the many creatures which will most likely become extinct if something is not done to save them. This mysterious animal has been classified in the Animalia kingdom, Craniata phylum, Mamalia class, Sirenia order, Trichechidae family, Trhichechus genus, Manatus species. This classification is a result of its bilateral symmetry, closed circulatory system, and segmented body among other things. The manatee has grey, wrinkled skin which is rubber-like, it is usually between three and four meters in length, and they have very large lips which they use to grab and hold food. The manatee lives in shallow coastal waters, estuaries, bays, rivers, lakes, canals, and marinas. These "sea cows" feed mainly on sea grasses, but they will eat most anything they can get including algae, fish, and acorns. Because of their eating habitats the manatee is a primary, secondary, and tertiary consumer.

The manatee's reproductive process is most successful when the mother is between seven and nine years old. There are rarely more than one calf born at a time and there are usually three to five years between births. The low reproductive rate is one reason for the manatee's endangerment. There is also high mortality for manatees due mainly to boat accidents and some hunting. Humans are the only predator that manatees have. The manatees have also suffered from some habitat loss from residential and commercial development.

Florida law began protection of manatees in 1893. They were next protected by the U.S. Marine Mammal Act of 1972, followed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973, and finally the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. It is important to protect manatees for a variety of reasons. They help thin out vegetation that clog seaways. There are also possible medial uses for parts of their bodies, which we will never know if they become extinct. They also interest tourists and are Florida's official marine mammal. The world would obviously not be the same without the West Indian Manatee.