Manatees

[Granger]

So, I noticed that we are lacking a topic for Manatees! So, with our seacow friends in mind, I decided it'd be fun to put this together.

A manatee is a large, aquatic marine mammal. They are sometimes called seacows. There are three living species of manatees, the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). They can be up to 13 feet(4 m) in length and weigh as much as 1300 pounds(590kg). Manatees are herbivores and eat over 60 different plant species. Using its divided upper lip, an adult manatee will commonly eat up to 10% of its body weight (about 50 kg) per day. Manatees have been known to eat small amounts of fish from nets.

Manatees live in the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (West Indian manatee), the Amazon Basin (Amazonian manatee), and West Africa (West African manatee). To communicate, manatees emit a wide range of sounds used in communication, especially between cows and their calves. Adults communicate to maintain contact and during play(and other) behaviors. Taste and smell, in addition to sight, sound, and touch, may also be forms of communication.

The main causes of death for the sea cows are human-related issues, such as habitat destruction and human objects, and natural causes, such as temperatures and disease.

All three species are vulnerable under their conservation status.


So, my question for you is what are your thoughts on manatees? Have you ever had any encounters or experiences with them, or seen them somewhere other than their native habitats?

[Edme1]

I have not seen any manatees in real life. D': But I still think they're cool. c: Also, I believe that manatees are not related to hippos. Hippos are related to whales and porpoises, while manatees are more closely related to elephants!

[Granger]

I see you've done your research then! Yep, they are related to elephants. Maybe, rather than Seacows, they should be Seaelephants? XD

[Edme1]

Seaelephants would make an awesome school mascot. Dugongs are closely related to them, too. I love those things.

[WolvesOfTheSeas]

I was reading one of the story in my Sample Test it quite bored me but interesting!

[Edme1]

Well, if it was about manatees, I think it would be interesting. :3

[WolvesOfTheSeas]

Ya it was it got my bored it wasnt interesting... i show you goes the passge maybe later on

[Wolfquest Star]

Hehe Manatee's (a.k.a Seacows), yeah they are cool they would be a good mascot x3

[WolvesAndSpiders]

I've loved manatees since i was little. I ordered a book from my local Barnes and Noble and waited about 4 months for a manatee book. I still have it, but the name of the book has slipped my mind...

[Granger]

I went as a seacow for halloween, made a mask (thanks to SoranofAvalor for the design of the face XD) and had a shirt that said "SEACOW IN TRAINING"

It got me some weird looks but I felt original and very, very amused at myself. We also may go to SeaWorld this summer and I am very much looking forward to being able to meet a Manatee in person. :D

[Redwalker]

gotta love sea cows <3 I wish I could go swimming with them...My lit teacher has...im so jealous :3

[pitbull234]

I love manatee's i get to see them all the time because the plant that they live in is only five mile's down the road and my mom take's me all the time.