The manatee is an aquatic mammal that belongs to the sirenidae order, in which there are only two genera, Dugong and Trichechus, the latter being the manatees. These animals are characterized by being peaceful and possessing various peculiarities that are not very widespread in marine fauna.
On the other hand, this sirenid has been facing adverse effects generated by human actions, which, without a doubt, have significantly affected their populations. Dare to continue reading this article on our site and thus learn all the characteristics of the manatee, the types that exist, what their habitat is, feeding and reproduction.
Characteristics of the manatee
Let's find out below what are the aspects that characterize the manatee:
- They are corpulent animals, measuring between 3 and 4 meters and weighing from 500 to 1000 kg.
- Their bodies look like a thick torpedo.
- The head is small in relation to the body, as are the eyes.
- They have a protruding snout in which the nostrils are located and, below, the mouth. Viewed from the front it has a flattened shape. It also has large, thick whiskers or whiskers.
- They have two forelimbs, which are flattened, paddle-shaped fins. In addition, it has a large, flattened caudal fin.
- On the anterior wings vestigial nails can be seen.
- The skin is about 5 cm thick, finely wrinkled and grey-brown in color. However, it is common to see them with certain green tones that are due to the presence of algae on their body.
- They have limited vision, but a well-developed auditory system. Whiskers are thought to be useful for receiving information from their surroundings.
Types of manatees
As we have mentioned, they are mammals that belong to the genus Trichechus, in which three species of manatees are recognized, which are:
- Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus), of which two subspecies have been identified: Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and manatee West Indian (Trichechus manatus manatus). The Florida manatee is the largest manatee of all, although the West Indian manatee is also larger than the other types.
- Amazon or Amazon Manatee (Trichechus inunguis). It is the smallest and thinnest of all types of manatees.
- African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). Physically it is very similar to the Caribbean manatee, although it has certain differences in its head, such as more protruding eyes and a less pointed snout.
Where do manatees live?
The manatee's habitat is exclusively aquatic and they can be found in both fresh and s alt water. Depending on the species, these mammals are distributed in different regions. Thus, the Caribbean manatee has its distribution range along the Atlantic Ocean coasts, from North America in the Virginia region, with a significant presence along the entire coastline of the Caribbean Sea, to Brazil.
As for subspecies, the Florida manatee is restricted to this region of the United States. However, in the season that is not winter, it can travel to neighboring states, since the temperature of the water allows it. For its part, the Antillean manatee is distributed from the Bahamas to the coasts of Brazil, and is also present in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
As for the Amazonian manatee, it is endemic to the Amazon basin, so it has a distribution close to northern South America, in the river system of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. Finally, the African manatee is present on the coasts of Africa that go from Senegal to an area of Angola. It is distributed, in addition to the coastline, by estuaries and rivers adjacent to it.
In this sense, manatees, being present both in the sea and in rivers, can also inhabit estuaries, mangroves, canals, streams and similar bodies of water with differences in salinity. However, the habitat of the manatee, cannot have temperatures below 20 ºC, so this aspect determines its presence in some regions and makes it move when these seasonal declines begin.
What does the manatee eat?
The diet of the manatee varies according to the species Thus, the Caribbean and Amazonian manatees have an exclusively herbivorous diet, while The African manatee, although it mainly consumes vegetation, also includes small fish and molluscs in its diet. That is why it is omnivorous.
Manatees feed on a wide variety of aquatic plants and algae. To obtain food they use their lips. With them they hold the leaf or the algae, as the case may be. These animals spend much of their time feeding, which is necessary to maintain their large bodies.
How do manatees reproduce?
Although they can generally reproduce at an early age, the real maturity is reached after 7 years in females and 9 in males. Manatee reproduction occurs at any time of the year, although in the African species calving peaks in late spring or early summer.
When a female is in heat a mating herd is formed consisting of a single female and several males that chase her for several days to copulate with her. Reproductive and gestation success depend mainly on the actual maturity of the female.
The gestation period lasts about a year and, in general, a single calf is born, which, although it can swim, She depends on the care of her mother, who is solely responsible for her. The females establish bonds of up to approximately two years with their young. Estimates indicate that females have offspring every 2-5 years.
Manatee Conservation Status
All three manatee species are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Reasons for this rating include:
- Direct hunting for the sale of its meat and skin.
- Indirect catches when caught in nets or fishing traps.
- Accidents with boats.
- The isolation of groups by the construction of dams or the diversion of rivers.
- Important changes in their habitats. Many areas of mangroves, estuaries, rivers and similar bodies of water where manatees live are being impacted by human actions, which, without a doubt, ends up harming the presence of these animals in many of the aforementioned ecosystems.
If you want to know more, don't miss our article Is the manatee in danger of extinction?
