manatee

manatee

The manatees, sea cows,, manatees or manatees, are a common designation for aquatic mammals, Sirenia, like the dugong, but the family of triquequídeos (Trichechidae). They have a large rounded body, similar in appearance to walruses. The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) can measure up to four meters and weigh 800 kilograms, while the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) can reach up to 2.5 meters and can weigh up to 300 kilos.

generally live in warm, shallow coastal and estuarine waters and wetlands, while the Amazonian manatee lives only in fresh water basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. Florida is the location further north where they live because their low metabolic rate becomes difficult in the cold and do not survive below 15 ° C.

There are three species of manatees:

•  African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), lives in the Atlantic, inhabits the fresh and coastal waters of West Africa.
  
•  Manatee Navy (Trichechus manatus), also known as manatee, has wide distribution in the Americas, ranging from Mexico, the United States, living on the islands of Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Suriname and Brazil .
  
•  Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) are freshwater animals and live in the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers.
  

A supposed fourth species was reported in 2007 by Marc van Roosmalen, but its validity was then questioned.

In Brazil, the manatee marine dwelling of the Holy Spirit to Amapá, but due to hunting, he disappeared off the coast of Espírito Santo, Bahia and Sergipe. The manatees live in both saltwater and in freshwater. The Amazonian manatee exists only in the Amazon River basin in Brazil and Peru, and in the Orinoco River in Venezuela and lives only in freshwater.

All species are endangered and are protected by environmental laws in many parts of the world. In Brazil, the manatee is protected by law since 1967 and the hunting and marketing of products derived from the manatee is a crime that can bring the offender to up to two years in prison. They are animal solitary habits, rarely seen in groups outside the breeding season.

They feed on algae, water hyacinth, aquatic grasses and other aquatic vegetation and can consume up to 10% of its weight in plants per day and can spend up to eight hours a day feeding. During the first two years of life living with their mothers and also feed on milk. Are much like the dugong and the main difference between the manatee and dugong is the tail. They are very gentle animals and, therefore, are easily hunted and are at risk of extinction.