The Manatee

1
The Manatee

• By Emily

2
Why the Manatee is Endangered

• Manatees have no natural predators but when one
  comes up for air it may be injured or killed by
  motorboat propellers. Motorboats are the biggest
  threat to manatees.

3
So Whats being Done to Protect the Manatee?

• The Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered
  Species Act, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary
  Act are all helping protect manatees.

4
Help Us!

• Manatees have been endangered since
• 1967. In 1990, 218 manatees were killed in
  boating accidents and in 2001, 81 were killed.
  Many more were injured. There are only about
  3,200 manatees left!

5
Weight, Length, and Life Span

• The average adult manatee grows to be about 12
  feet long and weighs about 1,800 pounds. Their
  life span is around 60 years

6

• Manatees feed on floating or underwater plants
  found in coastal inlets, rivers, and bays. They
  eat with flat teeth called molars. An adult can
  eat 100-150 pounds of food every day.

7
Location

• You can find manatees
• near the southeastern coast of the United States.
  They live in the places that are marked with
  black.

8
Calves

• A baby manatee is called a calf. When a calf is
  born, it is three to four feet long and
• weighs sixty to seventy pounds. Thats bigger
  than most first graders!

9
Interesting Facts

• Manatees can hold their breath up to twenty
  minutes.
• Manatees are also called sea cows.