Manatee :: essays research papers

ManateeThe manatee popularly called the sea cow is some(prenominal) of the species of largewater animals in the genus Trichechus. There are three species of manatee with T.inunguis found in the Amazon and Orinoco river systems T. manatus is found incentral Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts and T.senegalenis found in the rivers of tropical West Africa. A manatee is a slowmoving, seal shaped mammal that lives in school coastal waters where rich plantgrows. It usually is at kinsfolk in salt or fresh water but seldom straying farfrom home.A manatee is grayish-black stout thick struggle animals and almosthairless. Its corpulent body tapers to a horizontally flattened, round tail.The fore(prenominal) limbs are set close to its head and are use to push algae, such asseaweed and other water plants toward their mouths. They have a small head,with a straight snout and cleft upper oral cavity with bristly hairs. Adults can growup to 15ft (4.6 meters) but they usual ly notwithstanding grow to about 10 feet. They weighan average of 1300 pounds.Manatees live in small family groups sometimes up to herds of 15-20.After a gestation of up to 6 months, usually a single pinkish calf is born.Manatees ferquently transport by muzzle to muzzle contact and when alarmedthey emit chripy squeaks.The quash of manatees has been reduced over the past several years dueto weighed down hunting for their hides, meat, and blubber oil. Some governments,including the United States, have placed the manatees down the stairs the endangeredspecies list. One practical reason for this is that they have proved multipurpose inclearin girrigation and transport channels clogged with aquatic plant life.