Manatee Wildlife Status May Be Changed

Human Interaction Damaging to Species

On Monday, April 9, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service made a major announcement about a species of animal found mostly in Florida. They recommended changing the status of manatees, or sea cows as they are sometimes known, from endangered to threatened.

Manatees were a favorite hunting target for southeastern United States native tribes who used their bones for various potions, ate their meat, and made shoes, canoes, and shields from their hides. Although these animals have been protected by law since 1893, poaching still goes on. Since the beginning of the 20^th century, human expansion into southern Florida has led to decimation of the species, mostly because they have no fear of humans. Another animal that suffered this fate, except that it was totally exterminated, was the dodo bird of Mauritius Island.

These massive swimming mammals sexually mature slowly, with females becoming mature at five years while males do so at nine years. The gestation period is about thirteen months, and one calf is born every two to five years. This accounts for the rapid depletion of the manatee population and its painfully slow recovery in numbers. Sea cows often sleep near the surface, and the propellers of motor boats have injured or killed thousands of the animals. Humans have been recorded harassing manatees, riding them, or leading them into areas of high boat traffic by hand-feeding them. Manatees are voracious eaters, consuming a pound of water plants for every ten pounds of body weight daily. They can weigh over one thousand pounds and measure close to fifteen feet in length.

Legend maintains that sailors once mistook these animals for half human, half fish mermaids because when they suckle their young, usually just barely beneath the water's surface, they do so while on their back and cradle their calf up to their teats with their flexible flippers, mimicking a human female nursing her baby. When you consider the appearance of a sea cow, that's stretching things a bit, but those poor old sailors were sometimes at sea for months or years without seeing women, so perhaps they can be forgiven.