Species Project ap environmental Science

Endangered Species

West Indian manatees, also known as sea cows, are large, gray aquatic mammals. They are a migratory species and have a very low reproduction rate. They can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas. The West Indian manatees can be found in the coastal waters of Central America and along the northern coast of South America for their abundance of seagrass beds. Most of their time is spent eating, resting, and traveling. Manatees are mostly herbivorous, and they eat a large variety of floating plants and can consume 10-15% of their body weight in vegetation daily. Because they are mammals, they must surface to breathe air. They rest at the bottom or just below the surface of the water, coming up to breathe on an average of every three to five minutes.

Identifying Characteristics:

The West Indian manatee has a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They have two flippers with three to four nails on each. Their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The average adult is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds.

The West Indian manatee has been listed as endangered since 1967. They face habitat loss due to the urban development of the land surrounding their habitats. Their food resources are also affected. Over thirty percent of seagrasses have been lost since the 1940s. Many waterways are altered by dredging and filling, and construction activities often destroy the seagrass beds. Boat propellers also cut paths through the seagrass beds, leading to "seagrass scarring". Boats also kill many manatees directly. Manatees cannot hear low-frequency sounds well, such as those emitted by boats, so they do not know that they are in danger in order to get out of the way. Additionally, humans sometimes chase, poke, grab, ride, feed, and offer water to manatees, which forces manatees to leave their warm water refuge, endangering their lives, and have separated mothers and calves. Pollution also has led to vegetation loss and habitat loss for the manatee,

Solutions/Successes/Possible Course of Action for Protection or Removal:

West Indian manatees in the United States are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. West Indian manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. The Gersteins at Florida Atlantic University are developing a high-frequency warning device to be attached to boats to warn manatees of a boat's presence.

The range of the West Indian Manatee has decreased. They are no longer found by Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rice, or the Cayman Islands.