INTRODUCTION
The West Indian manatee’s scientific name is Trichechus manatus, which approximately translates to “sea cow”. They are a member of the order Sirenia which contain the dugong and the abruptly extinct Steller’s sea cow. Manatees are large and come in varying colors of gray and brown. They are marine mammals but unlike a dolphin or whale the manatee has a flat, paddle like tail. They have two front flippers which each has at least three nails on it, another quality distinguishing it from it’s marine mammal brethren. They are distantly related to the elephant and it is easy to tell when looking at them. They have a big soft snouth with squishy lips and whisker. The West Indian manatee has two subspecies, the Florida manatee is called Trichechus manatus latirostris and the Antillean manatee is called Trichechus manatus manatus.
All manatees are on the endangered species list, they are under the protection of the marine mammal protection act which first went into effect in 1972. This act prohibits the “take” of any marine mammal with “take” being defined as "to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal" (16 U.S.C. 1362). …show more content…
They are also adorable and curious creature with no real way to protect themselves. The endangered status of manatees is solely the result of human involvement in their environment and their needless murder. The importance of taking action to protect the manatee is highlights by the unfortunate and abrupt loss of its relative the steller’s sea cow, which was viciously hunted by humans until its extinction in just 27
The West Indian manatee’s scientific name is Trichechus manatus, which approximately translates to “sea cow”. They are a member of the order Sirenia which contain the dugong and the abruptly extinct Steller’s sea cow. Manatees are large and come in varying colors of gray and brown. They are marine mammals but unlike a dolphin or whale the manatee has a flat, paddle like tail. They have two front flippers which each has at least three nails on it, another quality distinguishing it from it’s marine mammal brethren. They are distantly related to the elephant and it is easy to tell when looking at them. They have a big soft snouth with squishy lips and whisker. The West Indian manatee has two subspecies, the Florida manatee is called Trichechus manatus latirostris and the Antillean manatee is called Trichechus manatus manatus.
All manatees are on the endangered species list, they are under the protection of the marine mammal protection act which first went into effect in 1972. This act prohibits the “take” of any marine mammal with “take” being defined as "to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal" (16 U.S.C. 1362). …show more content…
They are also adorable and curious creature with no real way to protect themselves. The endangered status of manatees is solely the result of human involvement in their environment and their needless murder. The importance of taking action to protect the manatee is highlights by the unfortunate and abrupt loss of its relative the steller’s sea cow, which was viciously hunted by humans until its extinction in just 27