How Long Do Manatees Live?
Manatees are the gentle giants that inhabit shallow coastal waterways. Sometimes mistaken for mermaids by sailors in a bygone era, today's manatees sit on the brink of extinction due to injuries caused by man. Understanding the manatee's potential lifespan and what can be done to increase the current lifespan is essential if these animals are going to be saved for a future generation.
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Time Frame
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Manatees are an endangered species, but not due to a short lifespan. Scientists believe that when protected from the problems caused by humans a manatee can live up to 50 or 60 years. The Save the Manatee Club says that most manatees living in the wild do not live past 30 years due to habitat destruction and deaths from injuries caused by boats.
Effects
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Humans have a huge impact on the shortened lifespan of manatees. The most common cause of unnatural deaths in manatee populations is injury from speedboats. Boats do not have to be traveling at excessively high speeds to injure or kill a manatee. Just 15 to 20 mph is fast enough to kill one of these gentle giants. Some deaths are caused by floodgates and canal locks. Manatees have no natural predators.
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Geography
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Manatees are capable of living in fresh or salt water, but they need warm water to survive. Most manatees must have water temperatures of 70 degrees F or higher in order to survive, but Florida manatees can tolerate slightly colder water. These marine mammals prefer fairly shallow waters, so they are often found in rivers, bays, and estuaries near coastal areas. Florida manatees tend to reside in or close to Florida. Manatees are also found in Central America, western Africa, the Amazon and the Indian Ocean's coastal areas.
Warning
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Because of the high mortality rate due to human interaction, Florida manatees have been named endangered species. They were placed on the endangered species list in 1973, and strict conservation measures were put in place to limit the number of manatee deaths caused by humans that occur in Florida. Manatee populations stopped shrinking, but the species is still in danger if conservation measures do not continue.
Potential
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The good news about manatees is that the conservation efforts and laws in Florida produced an increase in the population. This was particularly true in those areas that were turned into manatee sanctuaries, which means boats cannot enter. However, outside of these protected areas the population is still suffering, so conservation efforts must continue.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Martha Jane Cordell
