The Plight of the Florida Manatee’s Ecology The Florida Manatee’s popular marine species in the tropical environment of Florida are currently considered an “endangered species”. The ecology (the relationships between living organisms and their interactions with their natural or developed environment), for the manatee (trichechus manatus), requires and is generally restricted to the inland and coastal waters of peninsular Florida during the winter, when they shelter in and/or near warm-water springs
Everyone loves the Florida manatee because they look like big puppy dogs with a cute endless smile. In addition, they are beautiful creatures that bring a smile to every face that sees them floating along in their natural habitat or in the local aquarium. Undoubtedly, the Florida manatee is one of the friendliest species in the world even though they are huge animals weighing up to twelve hundred pounds and reaching ten-foot long. Despite what this gentle creature has been through at the hands of
Within the state of Florida there are dozens of individualized, non-profit organizations making an effort to help the local wildlife. The local land and marine wildlife includes birds, geckos, frogs, snakes, panthers, manatees, sea turtles, fishes, sharks, corals, lizards and many, many more. Florida State is located on the Southeastern tip of the United States providing a unique opportunity for conservation of salt-water animals. While there are animal conservation efforts taking place all over
The manatee has been on the endangered species list since the year 2001. This is caused from pollution in the water, power boats, and slow reproductivity. As a result, humans are putting an effort into saving these sea cows. The Florida Manatee’s scientific name is Manatus latirostris. The scientific genus name Trichechus, means hair in Latin. The name manatee comes from the Haitian word, "manati". A common term for manatees and dugongs is the “sea cow”. This name is most likely
Manatees Quietly, but swiftly, the plump, dark animal glided across the water while making sounds comparable to that of the squeaks and squeals of a whale ("Florida Manatee" 1). Some would say these aquatic mammals are the ugliest thing below the surface, others would say that these animals are beautiful and resemble portly mermaids, but no matter what anybody says about the manatees, they are unique creatures (Ray and Ciampi 315). They are mammals that are completely harmless, they feed mostly
We chose to research about wetlands because they are very unique and special. Wetlands used to be extremely common during prehistoric times, but now there are only small areas left. Some plants and animals exist only in the wetland biomes, such as the star fruit and water vole. But, as the amount of wetlands decreased, many organisms became endangered and even extinct. We wanted to find out more about what the characteristics of wetlands and what is being done to help the environment. A wetland
mammals that need warm water in the colder months of the year to survive; which makes Florida a prime location. (Blitz, 2016). For the most part, manatees depended exclusively on warm water springs (a water-filled sinkhole) during the winter months, but with the discovering of power plants a large number of manatees started utilizing these release basins as sources of warm water for refuge. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “It is estimated that currently about 60% of
Steller’s Sea Cow Have you ever met a prodigious manatee or dugong? Georg Wilhelm Steller has, this marine mammal was called Steller’s sea cow. This prehistoric animal was discovered in 1741 and disappeared from the face of the earth in 1768. Steller’s sea cow is an important animal to learn about because of the way they looked, the time period they lived in, and the surprising facts about them. One way to understand Steller’s sea cow is to know what they looked like and why. First of all, this
Personal Narrative, Manatee-fueled Trip The feeling of the cold water around me was really waking me up. Swirling crystal green-blue water and tree branches gently floated past me as my mom and I made our way into the lagoon. I blinked my blue eyes to clear the liquid from my goggles. And then I saw it; a grey manatee, swimming slowly in the water with it’s tail swishing up and down softly. The real mermaids. We weren't allowed to (deep breath) yell near/at, touch, feed, hit, kick, poke, kick sand
death by boat propellers, habitat loss, poaching, and other careless actions that threaten the manatee population. Manatees are one of the most gentle water animals known to man. One of the biggest problems for these underwater sea cows is getting hit with boat propellers. These spinning deathtraps put gashes into the skin of manatees and even kill them. When boaters are going at speeds that the manatee cannot match or exceed, the manatee’s large body prevents them from moving fast enough to move
The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a marine mammal that lives in the coastal waters and around the offshore reefs of Belize. Manatees have large gray bodies covered with algae or barnacles. They are herbivores that consume marine vegetation such as sea grass and surface regularly to breathe. They reside in sea grass beds and in mangroves that provide them with shelter. The West Indian Manatee is listed as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and may eventually be
an alligator. However, there is another animal, a gentle giant and an enduring ambassador to Florida waters. It is a sea cow or the manatee. In this paper I will impart the bare facts about manatee such as: habitat, eating habits, size and mating. I will discuss their declining numbers with ways all of us who enjoy these waters can make a difference and talk about one special cow, named “Snooty”. The manatee, they belong to the Sirenian species. Do you see the word siren there? Many believe the legends
Dear journal, today is August 5, 2007 and we are visiting the Everglades National Park. I also I am planing on stay there four days and camping outside because I love the outdoors. The park is located in the southern tip of florida west of the city of Miami. Right now I am on the the plane headed there. I am landed at the closest airport which is Miami international and it is about forty-five miles northeast of the park. When I entered the park there was a park ranger and I asked him when the
don’t come to visit the area, then the beach-side shops will certainly decrease in number, leaving more people without a job. Have you ever been outside during season (mainly early January through late March)? The snowbirds (people that come down to Florida to wait out the winter) are all over the place. They make up for a large amount of the purchases during that time. If these people think the lagoon is polluted, they might decide to go somewhere else
The Florida Everglades is one of the most diverse wetland ecosystems in the United States. These tropical wetlands span an area of more than seven hundred square miles in southern Florida. The term Everglade means river of grass. The system starts in central Florida near Orlando and travels southwest to the tip of Florida. The Everglades has a wet season and a dry season which causes a great change in hydrology. During the wet season the system is a slow moving river that is sixty miles wide and
lands, mangrove forests, fresh water lakes, saltwater and fresh water marshes. The Everglades is home to many rare, threatened and endangered species. According to (UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 2011) “These include the Florida panther, snail kite, alligator, crocodile, and manatee.” The Everglades is also home to many different species of birds and reptiles. According to (UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 2011) “The Everglades protect 800 species of land and water vertebrates, including over 14
however, there are attempts being made to save the Everglades against these apparent dangers. Return to Top WATER MANAGEMENT Water management is one of the most critical environmental issues facing the Florida Everglades at this point in time. The everglades watershed originates in the central Florida Kissimmee River basin north of Lake Okeechobee. Summer thunderstorms would flood this region, the big lake, and extensive areas of everglades marsh. This created a shallow, wide river which flowed slowly
life in Miami to live his last hours in the cabin in Punta Rassa , Florida; the cabin his grandfather had built. Thus, the three generations of MacIveys in Florida ends. The first generation of MacIveys consisted of the father and husband, Tobias, the mother and wife, Emma, and their young son, Zech. The family had decided to escape the pressures of the Civil War in their native Georgia, and move to the scrub of Northern Florida. The MacIveys experience many troubles and learn many new things during
They too disrupt the water cycle to which the wildlife has adapted. The Florida sugar industry built on the southern Shore of Lake Okeechobee directly clocks the water source for the remaining Everglades hence destroying the habitats of the wildlife existing in the affected areas. The government needs to intervene now and stop this practice before the wildlife in South Florida is driven into extinction. The soil of south Florida is not ideal for sugar production therefore this production should be
For citrus growers in Florida, the future is uncertain. Two bacterial diseases, named citrus canker and citrus greening disease, have devastated countless acres of trees across the state. For an industry that “generates about $8.9 billion a year,” this is no small issue (“Citrus Greening”). The Florida Citrus Grower’s Association would like to import a landrace of orange discovered in China that is resistant to citrus greening disease and test it in Florida to discover its effects on both citrus