Manatees are huge animals that live in the sea and feed on underwater vegetation. Their weight is up to 600 kg, and in length they can reach 5 meters. Most likely, the ancestors of the manatees lived on land, but after that they decided to still change their place of residence and moved to the water element. Initially, there were more than 20 species, but only three are known to man: Steller's cows , manatees and dugongs. The first, unfortunately, is already gone, since man has completely exterminated this species.
What is a sea cow, people discovered in the XVII century and immediately began to mercilessly destroy them. The meat of these animals is very tasty, the fat is soft and tender, which is especially good for making ointments, and the skin of sea cows was used. Now manatees are declared an endangered species, and it is forbidden to hunt them. But still, sea cows suffer from human activity. They swallow nets and hooks, which slowly kill them. Great harm to their health is caused by pollution of ocean waters, the construction of dams.
Due to the high weight of enemies, manatees do not have so many. In the sea, they are threatened by
tiger sharks, and in tropical rivers - caimans. Despite the phlegmatic nature and slowness, they still manage to avoid certain death, therefore, the main enemy of sea cows is man. You can’t catch them, but a large number of animals die under the
propellers of the ships, so many countries are developing programs to save manatees.
Sea cow prefers to live in shallow water, the optimal depth for it is 2-3 meters. Every day, manatees eat about 20% of their weight, so they are specially bred in places where excessive vegetation spoils the quality of water. They feed mainly in the early morning or evening, and during the day they relax, sail to the shore to bask in the sun.
In total, there are three types of manatees: African, Amazonian and American. The African sea cow, as befits all Africans, is slightly darker than its relatives. She lives in warm equatorial rivers and on the west African coast. The Amazon manatee lives only in
fresh water, so its skin is smooth and even, and on the chest and in some cases on the stomach there is a white or pink spot. The American sea cow prefers the Atlantic coast, she especially likes the
Caribbean Sea. She can swim in both salt and fresh water. It is the American manatees that are the largest.
Manatees are very interesting to watch, their tail is like an oar, and their front legs with claws resemble fins. They use them very skillfully, can walk along the bottom, scratch, hold and stuff food in their mouths. To look for food, bask in the sun, play with other representatives of the species - that's all the cares that a sea cow has entrusted to itself. Manatee mainly lives alone, only in the mating season, the female is surrounded by about two dozen suitors.
The baby is born for about a year, at birth its weight is about 30 kg, and its length is slightly more than a meter. He lives with his mother for about two years, she shows him her usual places for food. Then the manatee grows up and becomes independent. It is believed that their relationship is inextricable and maintained throughout life.