Florida Manatee

In recent news this month, Floridians were made aware that the much-loved manatee was being removed from endangered status to threatened status in the state of Florida but would remain on the overall endangered species list.

Why would such a thing happen? How can the state where these magnificent creatures reside down list their status while they remain endangered overall?

Let me share some basic information about these gentle mammals with you. Manatees inhabit mostly coastal waterways and saltwater bays. Their diet consists of strictly herbivorous foods so their quest for seagrass beds is why they can be found in rivers and canals. They consume between 10 to 15% of their body weight daily. That's a lot of food!

The average size of an adult manatee is 9ft long and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. They can grow much larger to lengths of 13ft and weighing as much as 3,000 pounds. Calves are born weighing in at 40 pounds and can weight as much as 700 pounds by their first year.

They are slow moving creatures and spend the bulk of their time eating, resting and traveling the waterways. They are mammals, so they must breath air periodically throughout the day, so it's not unusual to see them swimming very close to the top of the water line, which puts them in danger of being hit by boaters.

Because Florida is a well-known tourist state and boating and jet skiing are popular water sports, the death rate for the manatee due to watercraft related accidents has increased since 1990. Even though there are boating rules and regulations in effect, all too often, these rules are ignored and irresponsible boaters cause serious injury or, in many causes, fatal injuries to adults and calves.

According to a study done by the U.S. Geological Survey, it has determined that the Florida manatee could sustain a reduction in population of over 50% within the short span of 45 years. That may seem like a long time but when you realize the birth rate can't keep up with the mortality rate, that time span will go by all too quickly to the point that one day they could become extinct. What a loss that would be to our planet, our eco-system and to future generations who would never know, first hand, the beauty and grace of the manatee.

It was also suggested by the USGS that the most populated areas in Florida for manatees, the Southwest and Atlantic regions, would not be able to recover its growth in population if the mortality rate continues to rise.

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