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 on sea grass and sometimes small
underwater creatures like shrimp (Berrill 212). It is a shame for these
creatures to be on the endangered species list.
Looking at the physical aspect, these animals are ...
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one big, flat, spatula-like tail (Sentman 327). This feature made people
confuse manatees with mermaids for nearly four centuries (O'Shea 66).
Many biologists say that manatees possibly originated or evolved from
ungulates such as elephants and cows because of the way that they are built, and
certain features that they have in common. Like elephants, manatees have the
peculiar half-moon shaped fingernails, and thick, wrinkled skin. Manatees also
shares some traits with cows. The way the manatees spend all day lazily grazing
on the ocean floor is incredibly similar to the behavior of cows at a pasture
(Breeden 58).
Manatees eat an outrageous amount of food, they consume approximately
ten percent of their body weight daily. The large quantities that the manatees
eat is another one of its unique qualities ("Florida Manatee" 1). People use the
manatees as natural "underwater lawn mowers", setting them free in lakes that
have too much sea grass or plants. The manatees consequently eat ...
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and leave at anytime. They communicate mostly using faint
whistles and squeaks, but some biologists speculate that they use scent marks to
mark their location like some land mammals. Newborn manatees will also stay with
their mother for at least a year, and will recognize her for the rest of its
life. If needed, nursing females will adopt a manatee calf that is not its own
(O'Shea 70). This type of social behavior shows that manatees are extremely
peaceful, and very friendly.
They are also very agile animals, moving at the normal pace of five
miles per hour. When provoked, they can burst to speeds exceeding fifteen miles
per hour. They also can perform various feats such as barrel rolls, ...
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Manatees. (2007, August 14). Retrieved April 17, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Manatees/69579
"Manatees." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 14 Aug. 2007. Web. 17 Apr. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Manatees/69579>
"Manatees." Essayworld.com. August 14, 2007. Accessed April 17, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Manatees/69579.
"Manatees." Essayworld.com. August 14, 2007. Accessed April 17, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Manatees/69579.
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