Species Name: Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostrus) is one of two subspecies of the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus).The other subspecie is the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).

Length: 10-12 feet.

Weight: 1,500-1,800 lbs.

Population: The largest population of manatees is found in Florida, where there are over 3,000 individuals.

Lifespan: 50-60 years in the wild.

Description:The Florida manatee, Florida's state marine mammal, is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. They are grayish brown in color and have thick, wrinkled skin scattered with small almost colorless hairs. There is often a growth of algae on their skin. The males and females are distinguished by the position of the genital openings and the absence or presence of mammary glands. Two nostrils are located on the upper surface of the snout which have skin flaps that act as check valves to keep water out while underwater, but let air in when they surface. Their front flippers help them steer or sometimes crawl through shallow water. They also have powerful flat tails that help propel them through the water. Despite their small eyes and lack of outer ears, manatees are thought to see and hear quite well.

Diet: Marine and freshwater plants such as turtle grass, water lettuce, manatee grass, shoal grass, various algae, water hydrilla, and water hyacinth. They have also been known to eat floating palm fruits. The Manatee feeds off the bottom, in the water column, and at the surface. They have been known to crop overhanging branches, and even haul themselves out of the water to get vegetation on the bank. Manatees are known to avoid specific plants such spatterdock and waterpennywort, which contain natural toxins. An adult Manatee will consume approximately 4% to 9% of their body weight in food per day. This averages out to roughly 32 to 108 pounds. Manatees use their front flippers to grasp vegetation and bring it to their large flexible lips (the top one is split) to eat. The roof of the Manatees mouth (front section) have horny ridged pads. These in conjunction with the lower jaw break the vegetation into small pieces. The molars (their only teeth) located at the back of the mouth finish the chewing process.

Range: Manatees take up residence primarily in Florida's coastal waters during winter. Some individuals migrate as far north as the Carolinas or as far west as Louisiana in summer. In recent years, a manatee traveled to New York and another swam up the Mississippi River!

Behavior: Manatees can be found in the warm waters of shallow rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal waters. They will surface to breath every three to four minutes. They are herbivores that spend most of their time feeding. They are nonterritorial and nonaggressive. Rarely do individuals venture into waters that are below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Well known for their gentle, slow-moving nature, manatees have also been known to body surf or barrel roll when playing. They normally rest and feed often. Manatees communicate by squealing under water to demonstrate fear, stress or excitement.

Reproduction: The female manatee reaches sexual maturity at approximately 5 years of age. The male manatee reaches sexual maturity at approximately 9 years of age. There is no specific mating period. Gestation is about 1 year with birth of 1 calf typically. A mature female may give birth every 2 to 5 years. Calves are born weighing between 60 and 70 pounds measuring about 3 - 4 feet. The newborn manatee calf is fully capable of swimming to the surface on it's own. They nurse underwater. The mammary glands of the female Manatee are located under the pectoral (front) flippers. In the area under the flippers (the armpit area of a human) you will find nipples used for nursing a Manatee calf. Like other mammals the Manatees mammary glands produce milk. Although the calf may be weaned by the end of the first year, it usually stays close to the mother for up to 2 years. From its mother the calf will learn about feeding areas, routes to travel, and refuges.

Mother and Calf - The image on the left shows the calf nursing.

Threats: Manatees can be found in the warm waters of shallow rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal waters. Destruction and degradation of their coastal and freshwater habitat. The leading known cause of death is by boat strikes; propellers and hulls inflict serious or mortal wounds. Most manatees have a pattern of scars on their backs or tails after surviving collisions with boats. Scientists use these patterns to identify individuals. Manatees are also vulnerable to cold water. They have been found crushed or drowned in flood-control gates and suffer harm from exposure to toxic red tide. In addition, a large number of manatees die from unknown causes each year.

Legal Status/Protection : Federally listed as Endangered and state listed as Endangered. *Endangered Species Act; **Marine Mammal Protection Act; Florida Endangered and Threatened Species Act; Florida Administrative Code; Florida Marine Sanctuary Act; ***CITES Appendix 1.

* The Endangered Species Act requires the US federal government to identify species threatened with extinction, identify habitat they need to survive, and help protect both. In doing so, the Act works to ensure the basic health of our natural ecosystems and protect the legacy of conservation we leave to our children and grandchildren.

** The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits, with certain exceptions, the take of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S.

*** Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty with 172 member countries. Appendix I species cannot be traded commercially. Appendix II species can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival.

Manatee Encounters: I have had 2 excellent manatee tours recently with Native Vacations, Inc. in Crystal River, FL. We did the 6 hour Private Manatee Safari. Tracy, our captain, was very professional and passionate about manatees. The boat was very comfortable and the equipment provided (masks, fins, wetsuits, towels, etc) was ideal for a water temperature of 72 degree F. We saw many manatees and were fortunate to have lengthy encounters with several that seemed to enjoy human contact. It is an awesome experience to interact with these gentle creatures. I used the Nikon D70 with the 18-70mm lens in an Aquatica housing with natural light to document our encounter.

While we were in the area we visited nearby Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park where there were numerous opportunities to photograph wildlife in a zoo-like setting.

References:

• Defenders of Wildlife - Florida Manatee
• The Wonderful World of Manatees

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