They sometimes group in herds in river channels during the dry season, but during the wet season prefer solitary living or only with family groups. They can be from 440 to 1200 pounds when they are full grown adults. Manatees are able to eat about ten percent of their own bodyweight of food every day. Finally, West African manatees will inhabit both fresh and salt water. Amazonian manatees are large, cylindrically shaped mammals, with forelimbs modified into flippers, no free hind-limbs, and the rear of the body in the form of a flat, rounded, horizontal paddle. Since they cannot stand temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius, the manatees migrate often to avoid cold waters. The main two reasons are their environment is being destroyed and they are being poached. They are one of three species still existing in the genus Trichechus, the only genus in the family Trichechidae. They can also be from 9 feet to 14 feet in length. The West Indian manatee, which is found in the Western Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, was listed as Endangered in 1967 and has since been the subject of many conservation initiatives and legislation. There are three manatee species worldwide – West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. Manatees have a slower metabolism than other mammals of similar size, which sharply reduces their energy requirements. Manatees range in size from 8 to 13 feet (2.4 to 4 meters) and can weigh 440 to 1,300 lbs. The name of each species of sea cow indicates its natural range. Manatees are found from the mouth of the Amazon River to the upper reaches of the tributaries of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Peru. West African manatees are protected under Class A of the African Convention of Nature and Natural Resources, signed by 38 African countries. 4. The Pygmy Sloth is becoming an endangered species. The southern range extends through Central and South America to Brazil. They have large, strong tails that power their swimming. The African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is a species of manatee and is the least studied of the four species of sirenians. However, all three species of manatee—the West Indian, Amazonian and African manatee—face serious threats to their survival. Manatees are typically found in the marshy areas of the Amazonian basin (Amazonian manatee), Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean (West Indian manatee) and West Africa (the West African manatee). Distribution of the Manatee. Facts about Amazonian Manatee, African Manatee and West Indian Manatee. The red mangrove trees are the home of the pygmy three toed sloth and they are being cut down which is putting pressure on the sloth population. Manatees belong to the Sirenia animal order. Photos of African Manatees are very rare. Conservation Since its inception, IPE researchers have promoted the conservation of the species in the lower Rio Negro through studies with wild animals, reintroduction projects and environmental education. Manatees eat a LOT of sea grass. West African manatees range from Senegal to Angola, on the west coast of Africa. In good news for manatees, in 2017, the U.S. West Indian manatees are native to the “West Indies,” also known as the Americas. Feeding, habitat, distribution, reproduction, anatomy and more. They also have powerful, flat tails that help propel them through the water. Amazonian manatees aren’t yet endangered- but they’re close. Amazonian manatees do not enter salt water, instead preferring to live in fresh environments. DALLAS (November 3, 2017) – Nearly 3,000 miles from Texas, in the remote Amazon rainforest of Peru, a team of veterinarians, biologists and conservationists from The Dallas World Aquarium’s manatee rescue project has successfully released five rehabilitated Amazonian manatees back into their natural environment near Iquitos, Peru. Manatees are endangered because of all the pollution in the water and sometimes manatees get hit by boats and either die or get a scar. The manatee is no small creature that you are talking about. Amazonian manatee hunting has been prohibited since 1973. These manatees are listed as vulnerable on the endangered species list, which means they face the risk of becoming endangered or extinct, and so it is illegal to hunt them. Aquatic animals also include river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis); the semiaquatic capybara, the largest rodent in the world (weighing up to 170… Amazonian manatees are the only species of manatee confined to fresh water. Florida manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. Communication Manatees communicate using a wide range of sounds (including squeaks, grunts and chirps) as well as by touch. The Amazonian Manatee Conservation Project began in Anavilhanas National Park in 2003. Florida manatees migrate to warmer waters during winter, while Amazonian manatee migrations are prompted by rising and falling water levels linked to the rainy and dry seasons. Manatees can weigh over 1000 lbs and males are usually larger than females. Their front flippers help them steer, or sometimes crawl, through shallow water. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species lists all three manatee species as Vulnerable and decreasing in numbers. In Florida the animal is listed as endangered species and it is protected not only under the state law but also by the federal law. Other articles where Amazonian manatee is discussed: Amazon River: Animal life: …the giant sea cow, or manatee, is sought for its flesh and for oil. The United States has worked hard to conserve the only manatee residing in U.S. waters, the Florida manatee, sub-species of the West Indian manatee. The Amazonian manatee species inhabit the Amazon River and the African manatee swims along the west coast and rivers of Africa. This is especially important for Amazonian manatees when waters recede after floods, are manatees endangered, confining some for extended periods in shallow waters away from plants on river banks. Why is the Amazon rainforest becoming endangered? Antillean manatees have a patchy distribution throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and northeastern South America. The Florida manatee, Florida’s state marine mammal, is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. Status. The Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), an endangered species, is the smallest species of manatee. Christina Martin, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, said the decision to remove manatees from the endangered list was years overdue. Fish & Wildlife Service downgraded the status of the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Parenting and Diet Manatees are born underwater. The manatees in the U.S. are Florida Manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian. MANATEES TODAY: current situation and conflicts All three species of manatee (West Indian, West African, Amazonian) are endangered. Manatees go to the surface of the water every three to five minutes to breathe although they can remain underwater longer, holding their breath for up to 20 minutes. Since the gestation period is approximately 13 months it is obvious those are months when these animals feel the need to mate. While manatees don't have any true natural predators, they have still become endangered. The Amazonian manatee is the smallest member of the manatee family and can be distinguished by its smoother rubbery skin and lack of vestigial nails on its flippers. Within this animal order, there are four living species – the West Indian manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the West African manatee, and the dugong – also all referred to as “sea cows; Manatees are Herbivores. Florida manatees have a delicious red meat, precious skin and sweet oil, which are attractive to hunters and poachers. All are threatened by overhunting, and the manatee has been listed as an endangered species. The three species are Amazonian manatee, West Indian manatee, and the West African manatee. In 2010 at least 246 manatees died in Florida due to cold stress from the colder-than-normal winter. By doing so, they keep the grass short, which helps maintain the health of the sea grass beds. Introduction to Manatees. With the help of over 7,000 of the world’s best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, Arkive.org featured multi-media fact-files for more than 16,000 endangered species. A sign posted to warn boats to look out for manatees, as they often swim near the surface and may come into contact with boats. View AnimalTourism.com Manatee in a larger map See more information on each of these places here. Amazonian manatees prefer warm and fresh water. According to them manatees are no longer endangered and must be classified as threatened. Manatees are grayish brown in color and have thick, wrinkled skin on which there is often a growth of algae. Learn more here at Swimming with the Manatees. The West Indian and Amazonian manatees are both endangered, and the West African manatee is threatened, according to the Endangered Species Act. However, with recent conservation efforts the threat from hunting has dropped significantly. (200 to 590 kilograms). While the Amazonian Manatees can mate at any time of the year, January and June seem to be the most common times of the year when they have their offspring. Wildscreen's Arkive project was launched in 2003 and grew to become the world's biggest encyclopaedia of life on Earth. One of the 3 manatee species in the world, Trichechus inunguis is a river dweller that can reach 2.8 m in length and weigh half a ton. Legal Protection: The Florida manatees in the United States are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. According to the Appendix I of CITES, the Amazonian manatee is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, one step before endangered (many incorrectly call them an endangered species). 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