Manatees

Manatees are an extremely interesting marine mammal whose closest living relative is the elephant. They are large (up to 1,200 pounds), almost exclusively herbivorous, and are known for their friendly and curious personalities. As we headed south along the ICW between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, we noticed quite a few signs that warned boaters to slow down for Manatees.

Between 1,000 and 3,000 Manatees swim the waters of Florida. They prefer shallow, swampy stretches of water where they feed on various plants, and spend up to 12 hours a day sleeping, surfacing for air every 20 minutes. The Florida Everglades, subtropical wetlands in South Florida, is one of the few remaining refuges for the Manatees.

Manatees have few natural predators besides humans. However, their population has been reduced due to the destruction of their habitat and collisions with boats. Many of these animals have been injured or killed by motorboat propellers. Efforts to conserve the Everglades ecosystem and prevent collisions with boats have stabilized their numbers in recent years, but they remain a federally listed endangered species. We hope to see one of these big, friendly "sea cows" before we leave the US!

SGE