Who is the manatee predator

They can sometimes get in a few hits with their tails. As a result of this, the mother may find herself injured or killed in an effort to protect her calf. The downside to this is that the calf will likely not be able to survive on its own so it too will die. Here is a break down of the types of predators that the manatee can be concerned with based upon location:.

West Indian Manatees — sharks, alligators, and crocodiles West African Manatees — sharks and crocodiles Amazonian Manatees — jaguars and sharks.

The cold waters are a very serious threat to the manatee. They many accidentally move from a warm area of water to a colder one.

Manatee bodies usually shut down when they find themselves in waters with temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit 20 degrees Celsius. This may occur when manatees accidentally migrate from warm water to cold water areas, leading to death in a short span of time. Young manatees are at a huge risk of cold water stress because of their curiosity while sick or injured manatees that cannot migrate to warmer areas in winter are also susceptible.

The greatest risk to manatee populations is increased human activities in manatee habitats. With more watercrafts in the waters where manatees reside, injuries and deaths due to boat collisions have increased greatly. Boats continue to accidentally hit, kill or injure manatees because the animals have a dark color and are very difficult to see from the water surface. Manatees also swim slowly and are often noticed by boaters only when it is too late.

In fact, about 25 percent of all annual manatee deaths in Florida are boat-related, with more deaths occurring from impact wounds than from propeller injuries. Manatee deaths also may occur when they swallow fishing lines, plastic bags or find themselves tangled up in fishing lines. Human destruction of mangrove areas, seagrass beds and salt water marshes also may lead to manatee deaths. Want to see and swim with Florida manatees?

We have skilled and experienced guides who understand the rules that apply when swimming with manatees. Your guide will help you maneuver your boat through their habitat and locate, see and swim with manatees without causing any disturbances that may create potential risks to them.

Due to our commitment to protection and conservation of manatees, we ensure you have a safe, educational and pleasant trip while doing all we can to give the animals the respect they deserve as we cruise through their home. Our Location:. They do not travel in large herds so the others cannot help to warn or protect a manatee from attack. Their only real protection strategy is to remain in very shallow water. This way, if they are attacked, it is less likely that the predator can drag them under the water for longer than the 15 minutes that the manatee can survive without breathing.

Manatees protect themselves by avoiding trouble. Read" series of vision-related e-books. Her articles have appeared in print and online since the s. This species was part of the dugong family.

They could grow up to 30 feet long, about the size of a small whale. Unlike their modern relatives, they had no teeth at all and feasted on kelp. They also could survive in cold water, which is deadly to the modern manatee. Howard University professor Daryl P.

Lawrence Island. More than 30 species of sea cows have been discovered since ; half of those species were discovered and named by Domning and his team. Using their rib cage muscles, they can compress their lung volume and make their bodies more dense. They use this mechanism to come to the surface to breathe instead of actively swimming up and down.

Even while they sleep, their rib cage muscles will relax, expanding their lung volume and gently carrying them to the surface. After they breathe, the muscles contract and the manatee effortlessly sinks back under water.

Manatees have no natural predators or enemies. Humans can injure or kill manatees with their boats. Humans have also degraded their habitat by blocking natural springs and building up the coastline. People have also accelerated sea grass loss — now, both manatees and the environment they live in are classified as endangered.

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