The manatee is a large mammal, with a rounded body.
They are aquatic animals that inhabit fresh and salt waters. They tend to be solitary and do not form couples or groups.
As a mammal, it needs to come to the surface from time to time to breathe. So it prefers to live in shallow water.
Manatees feed mainly on aquatic and semi-aquatic plants.
The reproduction of the manatee is slow and the gestation period is 13 months. The offspring feeds on breast milk and only after a few months starts eating vegetables.
In Brazil, there are two species of manatees: the marine manatee and the Amazonian manatee.
marine manatee
The marine manatee (Trichechus manatus) inhabits the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, near the coasts of the United States, Mexico, Central America and the northern coast of Brazil.
marine manatee
There is also the species of African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) that takes place off the coast of Africa. It is a lesser known species, which still suffers from intense hunting.
the species
T. manatus it has wrinkled and thick skin. It has sparse hair all over the body and nails on the pectoral fins.Marine manatees can reach 700 kilos and 4 meters in length.
The marine manatee is at serious risk of extinction. In 2006, studies indicated the existence of only 500 individuals of this species on the oceanic coast of Brazil.
The conservation of the species faces some threats. The main ones are: hunting, stranding of young, collisions with boats, capture in fishing nets, pollution and environmental degradation.
The Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), considers the T. manatus, like the most endangered aquatic mammal in Brazil.
Learn more about Brazilian fauna
Amazonian manatee
The Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inungui) is the smallest among the manatee species.
Amazonian manatee
It exclusively inhabits freshwater rivers and lakes in the Amazon basin, being endemic to that region.
The Amazonian manatee can reach 3 meters in length and weigh up to 450 kilos.
It has a dark gray color and an extremely thick and resistant leather.
What differentiates it from the marine manatee is the presence of a white spot on the ventral region and the absence of nails on the pectoral fins. Each individual exhibits a different spot pattern.
The Amazonian manatee is considered one of the most endangered species in Brazil. The main threats to manatees are: the destruction of their habitat and the release of mercury into rivers.
Manatee hunting is illegal in Brazil. However, some riverside populations still do, for meat consumption.
Read too:
Endangered Animals in the Amazon
Endangered Animals in Brazil
Endangered species
Amazon Animals
Curiosities
- There are several experiences and initiatives for raising the Amazonian manatee in captivity. This makes it possible for the species not to disappear. In 1998, the first manatee calf in captivity was born in Manaus.
- The Amazonian manatee can spend up to eight hours a day eating and consume 10% of its weight in a single day. When the manatee is not feeding, it will probably be sleeping. He can spend half his day sleeping in water.
- In the past, manatee hunting was motivated by its meat and leather. Its highly resistant leather was used to make pulleys, hoses and belts for industries.
Learn more about Mammal animals.
