Save the West Indian Manatee

By: Andrew Stratford

Ecology/ Description

The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) sometimes known as the "sea cow" is one of four known living species of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia. There are two subspecies of the West Indian Manatee: the Florida Manatee and the Antillean Manatee. Both are very similar except that the Florida Manatee is generally larger. The average adult manatee is around 10 feet long and weighs anywhere from 800 to 1,200 pounds. Their wrinkled skin is usually gray and is covered with vibrissae, tiny hairs which help them touch and navigate. They have large, seal-like bodies, paired flippers, and a round tail. Each flipper has three to four nails and their tails are paddle-shaped. They spend most of their time underwater and can go as long as 12 minutes underwater in one breath, however the average is around 4 minutes. Manatees consume submerged and floating plant life as well as some small fish and vertebrates. They spend around 5-8 hours a day eating. Florida Manatees can be found in estuaries, freshwater rivers, and in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean near Florida and the Caribbean. Antillean Manatees can be found in the same areas as well as the Caribbean coasts of Central America and in northern South America. 

West Indian Manatee range

Listing

West Indian Manatees have no known natural predators and so have the ability to live to nearly 60 years of age. It is unlikely, however, that most manatees will reach this age because of limiting factors. These factors include but are not limited to watercraft collisions, gatelock, loss of warm water habitat, red tide blooms, pollutants in food supply, and entanglement in fishing gear. These threats can cause and do continue to cause declines in reproductive rates, survival rates, and the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Manatees are considered vulnerable by the Red List for Endangered Species but are considered by most to be endangered. They were labeled as endangered in 1967 under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Their continued survival is limited due to their low reproductive rates. 

Graph of Manatee mortality rate in Florida

Recovery Plan

The goal of the recovery plan is to allow for the long term success of the Florida manatee in the wild. Along with this comes the goal of reclassifying the manatee from endangered to threatened status and eventually removing it from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The main conservation efforts of the recovery plan include maintaining minimum spring flows, protecting warm-water refuge sites, protecting foraging habitat in the refuge sites, and reducing unauthorized human- caused take (boat strikes, navigation lock, pollutants). To prevent boat strikes, the highest cause of mortality, they create manatee protection zones throughout the rivers and bays. They also enforce manatee protection speed zone rules to limit collisions. To prevent entrapment in water control centers and in locks, openings in locks are made wide enough for manatees to fit through. Pressure sensor devices are also installed to detect when manatees enter these facilities so that they can be safely let out. Acoustic sensors are also developed to close locks before the manatees can enter them and be entrapped. To prevent ill effects of coastal development along the coast of Florida strict permits are established so that manatee habitat will not be altered or destroyed. Land may also be acquired so that manatee habitat can remain where it is and remain a safe zone.The plan as a whole will hopefully ensure a healthy existence of manatees in and around Florida by lessening and eliminating these threats and limiting factors. To be properly declassified to threatened status, the annual rate of adult survival must be at least 90% and the average annual percentage of adult females with calves in the winter must be at least 40%. It all takes time, but through these efforts, eventually the West Indian Manatee will sustain a healthy, safe population.

Manatee sanctuary

Personal Action
If there is one thing that every citizen should know it is that there is always something that can be done to help. It is true, there are hundreds of different species of plant and animal life that are endangered or threatened. It can seem overwhelming or impossible to tackle such a seemingly daunting task. It is the efforts of the lone individual, however, that can have the most impact and effect in the end. The West Indian Manatee is an important part of the ecosystem around Florida and it must be saved. Boaters in the area need to take it upon themselves to slow down and be cautious in areas where manatees are present. People also can become informed about the issue and the circumstances surrounding the manatees and teach others around them. Becoming aware of the problem is very important and by alerting other people about it too, that is a huge help. Volunteering to help create sanctuaries or rescue manatees is another thing we all can do to help support the species as a whole. To learn more about opportunities to help the West Indian Manatee or to learn more about the species in general visit savethemanatee.org

The good news is that it isn’t too late yet and also that it doesn’t take a huge amount of change to help out. Small actions taken by individuals are the impetus for a worldwide change.

Works Cited

Florida Manatee. Digital image. Defenders. Defenders, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"Florida Manatee Recovery Plan." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2001): n. pag. Environmental Conservation FWS. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 30 Oct. 2001. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"Manatee Facts." Save the Manatee. Save the Manatee Club Inc., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

Report Template. Digital image. Florida Fish and Wildlife Institute. FFWI, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

Sonya, Karen. These Are West Indian Manatees. Digital image. Epubbub. Epubhub, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

West Indian Manatee. Digital image. National Geographic Kids. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. 

"West Indian Manatee." National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.