In this article, I am going to talk about what manatees are, the importance of manatee conservation, how people are helping them today, and what you can do to help too!
What are manatees?
Manatees are large marine mammals that inhabit slow rivers, canals, saltwater bays, estuaries, and coastal areas. They are a migratory species, living in tropical waters during the winter and moving as far north as Virginia, and as far west as Texas in the warmer summer months. Manatees are herbivores that spend most of their time eating, sleeping, and traveling. They have a lifespan of about 60 years with no known natural enemies. Most of their deaths are the result of human activity.
Why are manatees going extinct?
Manatees are going extinct because of two major threats: loss of habitat and collisions with boats and ships.
Natural manatee living areas are destroyed when new developments are built along waterways. Algal blooms are then caused by sewage, manure, and fertilizer run-off that enters the water. Some of the algae is toxic and can kill manatees if they eat it. Because manatees feed on sea grass, and sea grass needs sunlight and shallow water to grow, manatees spend a lot of their time in shallow water. This leaves them with little room to dive away from oncoming boats, which can lead to devastating collisions.
Why is it important that manatees are kept alive?
Manatees, like any other animal, are one part of a much larger system — remove one element, and the whole system falls apart. Manatees eat a lot of sea grass. By doing so, they keep the grass short, which helps maintain the health of the sea grass beds. They also keep local vegetation from becoming obstructive by eating such huge quantities of plant-life, and then fertilize their surrounding environments by excreting all of that digested flora.
How are people helping to protect manatees?
To reduce the effect of collisions on manatees, boat operators are required to slow down and/or avoid regulated areas commonly used by manatees. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and others designate, mark, and enforce manatee protection areas.
How can we help?
Be mindful of manatees while boating
This is one of the most important things you can do to help manatees. Boaters should obey posted manatee protection area restrictions. When you travel slowly through these areas, you give manatees a chance to safely get out of your way. In addition, when you travel slowly, they are easier to see. Watching manatees is a great family pastime – enjoy! You can improve your ability to see manatees in the water if you wear sunglasses with brown, polarized lenses.
Help keep wild creatures wild
It is best for humans to minimize interactions with manatees. You should never come in contact with a manatee. Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge has produced a series of videos called “Manatee Manners” that provides tips on how swimmers, boaters, photographers and paddlers at the refuge should behave when sharing waters with manatees.
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