Manatees - are huge animals living in the sea and feed on underwater vegetation.Their weight is up to 600 kg, and they can reach length of 5 meters.Rather, manatee ancestors lived on land, but after yet decided to change their place of residence and moved into the watery element.Initially, there were more than 20 species, but only three known to man: Steller's sea cow, manatees and dugongs.The first is, unfortunately, no, because the person is completely destroyed this type.
What is a sea cow, people discovered in the XVII century and immediately began to destroy them mercilessly.The meat of these animals is very tasty, fat, soft and gentle, which is especially good for making ointments, the course was skin and sea cows.Now manatees declared an endangered species, and hunting them is prohibited.Yet sea cows suffer from human activity.They now and then swallow nets and hooks that kill them slowly.Great harm to their health causing pollution of ocean waters, the construction of dams.
Because of the heavy weight of the enemies of manatees have not so much.At sea, they are threatened by tiger sharks and tropical rivers - caimans.Despite the phlegmatic character and slowness, they still manage to avoid certain death, so the main enemy of the sea cow is a human.To catch them is impossible, but a large number of animals killed by propellers of ships, however, many countries are developing programs to save the manatees.
sea cow prefers to live in shallow water, the optimum for her depth - 2-3 meters.Daily manatees consume about 20% of its weight of food, so they are specially bred in areas where excessive vegetation spoils the quality of water.They feed mainly at night or early in the morning and afternoon rest, swim to shore to bask in the sun.
There are three species of manatees, African, Amazonian and American.African sea cow, as befits all Africans, a little darker than their relatives.She lives in warm equatorial rivers and on the west African coast.Amazonian manatee lives only in fresh water, so his skin is smooth and level, and on the chest and in some cases the abdomen is white or pink spot.American sea cow prefers Atlantic coast, especially to her like the Caribbean.It can float in both salt and fresh water.It is the largest West Indian manatee.
For manatees is very interesting to watch them like a paddle tail and front paws with claws resemble flippers.They very skillfully use them, can go on the bottom, scratch herself, and to keep the stuff in your mouth food.Search for food, bask in the sun, play with other members of the species - that's all the worries that laid the sea cow.Manatee mostly living alone, only in the mating season the female is surrounded by about two dozen suitors.
cub hatched about a year, at birth it weighs about 30 kg, and the length of a little more than a meter.From his mother, he lived for about two years, she shows him their usual places to find food.Then lamantenok grows and becomes independent.It is believed that their relationship is indissoluble, and supported all his life.
