WHAT ARE MANATEES ?
Do you know what manatees are ? Manatees are big gray mammals that are very kind and gentle. Long ago, sailors who saw manatees thought they were mermaids. These gentle animals come to the warm waters by the wetland we worked in for the winter. Manatees are slow and need to come to the surface of the water for air, and because of this reason they are easily hit by motorboats or could be harmed by cruel people.
Manatees are on the endangered species list because man throws trash in the water and it gets polluted. Another reason that they are on the endangered species list is that when they surface for air speeding boats run over them with there propellers and they die.
Man has now started to protect manatees by issuing manatee zones. Manatee zones are zones for boaters. Manatee zones are made to stop boaters from speeding in manatees habitats. Usually the speed limit is 5-8 miles per an hour.
Many groups like the Sirenia Society try to educate people about how they can help manatees. Here is a site you can visit (CLICK HERE) to learn more.
Don't forget to click BACK so you can return to our page.
"However it is the widespread loss of the all-important grazing and breeding grounds that makes manatee survival so precarious." (M. Timothy O'Keefe, Manatees -Our Vanishing Mermaids). Since 1960 almost 80% of the seagrass manatees need have vanished. Some things that have destroyed sea grass are;
Pesticides, oil, toxic things that come from factories, runoff from roads, dredging and filling projects.
A great link that tells about a place that protects manatees is Homossassas Springs State Wildlife Park. You will see pictures of manatees in their natural habitat. Don't forget to click the BACK button to return to our site.
If you have observed manatees or if you help them in some way, send us some MAIL, by clicking here.