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West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatus
6.80461, -58.1548
Spotting Video
Field Notes
Description:
The average West Indian Manatee is approximately 3 meters long or average of 10 feet, and weighs between 400 and 600 kg or on average 800 to 1200 pounds, with females generally larger than males.
Habitat:
As its name implies, the West Indian manatee lives in the West Indies, or Caribbean, generally in shallow coastal areas. However, it is known to withstand large changes in water salinity, and so has also been found in shallow rivers and estuaries. They can live in fresh water,saline water, andeven brackish water.It is limited to the tropics and subtropics due to an extremely low metabolic rate and lack of a thick layer of insulating body fat. In the winter, West Indian Manatees can be found in Florida. During summer, these large mammals have even been found as far north as New York City, New York and as far south as Texas.
Notes:
I spotted this manatee in the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown. I don't like posting spottings of animals not in their native habitat but these animals were being studied at the gardens and it was not zoo like at all, there was no admission fee and they place was pratically deserted. Manatees are extremely rare in most of their natural range and considered endangered. This one was very hungry and gladly at out of my hand. I could have fed it all day long. I have searched for them in the wild with out any luck. Just ripples on the surface.
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