Why Are Boats So Dangerous to Manatees?
Manatees are large, slow-moving mammals that surface for air about every 12 minutes. They prefer shallow water and are slow to get out of the way of speedboats. Sometimes, however, the water is just not deep enough for them to avoid getting hit.
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Endangered
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Florida's manatee population faces an ongoing challenge as the human population of the state increases. Too often, boat drivers ignore speed limits and warning signs, resulting in a collision with a manatee.
Collision
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The number of manatee deaths in Florida due to boating hits during the 2008-09 winter was 51. The previous five years had an average of 34 deaths.
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Crowds
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Manatees like the warm water of natural springs, where the year-round temperature is about 72 degrees Fahrenheit. So do people. In the winter, too many boats and too many manatees in the same vicinity create potential trouble.
Hard to See
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Manatees are gray or gray-brown and can often look like big, flat rocks in shallow water. They also move slowly. The Save the Manatee Club recommends wearing polarized sunglasses to help see below the water's surface.
Propeller Scars
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The scars on the backs of manatees due to strikes from boat propellers can be used as identification marks by researchers and rescuers.
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