Students may use photos of animals for their class projects.
Animal Scoop... A Photo Safari
Manatee
There are four living species of Manatee, the West Indain manatee (calf photo), the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the dugong. The Steller's sea
cow, became extinct in the 1700s. They say that sailors used to see the sea cow, and believe it to be a mermaid. The manatee looks like a walrus without the heavy whiskers. Manatees are not related to the walrus... their closest relative is the elephant.
We found the West Indian manatee in an area where warm water flows from the power plant in Ft. Myers, Florida. About noon, the manatees started to head out into the waters of the ocean. We were able to watch as they gracefully flowed to the top of the water for a breath of air. Once the waters reach above 68 degrees... the manatees will remain in the Gulf until cooler temperatures of fall and winter seasons return.
Powerboats are one of the main causes of death to the manatee. We saw many that had deep scares, parts of their tail and flippers cut off from propellers.
If manatees loose their fear of humans, this too can become deadly. If they become use to being feed, or given fresh water, they may approach people that will hurt or cause harm to them. When you see a manatee in the wild, it is best just to sit and watch them.
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