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Answers From the Manatee Expert
Included in the Report:
Answers From the Manatee Expert
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| Nancy Sadusky |
From: Deephaven Elementary
Deephaven, Minnesota
Q: Do manatees live in other places besides Florida?
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| Map courtesy of Macalester College |
A: There are two subspecies of the West Indian manatee:
the Florida manatee and the Antillean manatee. Manatees that are found
in the southeastern United States, mostly in Florida, are called (appropriately
enough) Florida manatees. Antillean manatees are found in the coastal
and inland waterways of eastern Mexico, Central America, the Greater Antilles,
and along the northern and eastern coasts of South America.
Manatees and dugongs belong to the scientific order Sirenia. Other sirenian species in the world include Amazonian manatees, which are found in the waters of the Amazon River and its tributaries in South America; the West African manatee, which is found in West African coastal areas; and the dugong, which is found in the Indo-Pacific region of the world.
Q: What nutrients do manatees get from the plants they eat?
A: Manatees get proteins, vitamins and fiber from the plants they eat just like the nutrients that you would get from eating a bowl of spinach!
Q: What medicines and vitamins are manatees given in captivity?
A: Well, you had me stumped on this one, so I called the folks over at Sea World Orlando. Sea World has a manatee rehabilitation program, and they care for manatees that have been orphaned or injured in the wild. Manatees are herbivores, and in the wild they eat a large variety of aquatic plants. The Sea World staff told me that the manatees living at the park usually eat a diet that consists of romaine lettuce, apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. In addition, they serve the manatees monkey chow, which are biscuits that have vitamins to supplement the food they eat at the park. They told me the medicine manatees might get would depend on the situation. For example, they have medicine that would be similar to what humans would take for an upset stomach, and they also have special formulas that they give orphaned calves for nursing.
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| Photo Credit: FWC |
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Q: Why aren't motorboats banned from the manatee's habitat?
A: The Manatee Recovery Plan was developed as a result of the Endangered Species Act. The recovery plan is coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sets forth a list of tasks geared toward recovering the manatee from its current endangered status.
One method of protecting manatees is to develop sanctuary areas, which prohibit boating, swimming, and diving. Several manatee sanctuaries have already been created in Florida, but more are needed. In addition, in 1989, Florida's governor directed 13 counties in Florida to work with the state to reduce manatee injury and death. One of the tasks of these counties is to develop site-specific boat speed zones to reduce watercraft collisions.
Q: How fast can manatees swim?
A: West Indian manatees can swim up to 20 miles per hour (mph) in short bursts, but they usually only swim about three to five mph.
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| Photo Credit: USGS-Sirenia |
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
Q: Have manatees ever been known to be cannibal, eating more then just sea plants?
A: Although manatees are herbivores, sometimes sea squirts, mollusks or any of several species of zooplankton can be inadvertently eaten while the manatee feeds on seagrasses.
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| Photo Credit: FWC |
Q: Why don't manatees enjoy the Florida weather year round instead of migrating?
A: Manatees are susceptible to cold-related disease, and they congregate near natural springs or warm water effluents of power plants in the winter. Water temperatures below 70 degrees usually cause manatees to move into warm water refuge areas.In the summer months, manatees are much more widely distributed. They travel freely around Florida's rivers and coastal waters. A few manatees may range as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia. However, it depends on the individual manatee. Just like humans, some manatees are more predisposed to traveling than others. One manatee was even documented in Rhode Island in the summer, but this type of sighting is rare. Summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are relatively common.
Q: Do manatees act aggressively to each other at any time that results in injury or death?
A: No, manatees are passive and slow-moving animals, and they are often shy and reclusive. They are not territorial animals. Because manatees have evolved with few natural enemies, they have not needed the protection or cooperation of a herd. Consequently, they are semi-social, somewhat solitary animals.
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St. Louis, Missouri
Q: How or why is a manatee related to an elephant?
A: Manatees belong to the scientific order Sirenia, and sirenians are one of four existing orders of mammals that are called subungulates. Other subungulates include elephants, hyraxes (a small gopher-sized mammal), and aardvarks. They share certain anatomical features such as lack of a collar bone, and nails or hooves rather than claws. In addition, most subungulates are herbivores (plant eaters).
Q: Can a manatee catch an illness from a human, like from the people who tag the manatees or who help them if they are injured? (Illnesses like colds, flu, chicken pox, etc.)
A: No, manatees cannot catch human illnesses such as colds, flu, or chicken pox. Isn't that lucky?
Thanks for all of your questions!
Nancy Sadusky
Communications Director
Save the Manatee Club
500 N. Maitland Ave.Maitland, FL 327511
education@savethemanatee.org
1-800-432-JOIN (5646)
For more information visit the Save The Manatee Club Web Site
How to Use FAQ's About Journey North Species
Since 1995, experts have contributed answers to students' questions about each Journey North species. These questions and answers are archived in our FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) section. You can use today's Answers from the Expert above, along with those from previous years, in the activities suggested in the lesson, "FAQ's About Journey North Species"
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