The Huggable Manatee

SAVE THE MANATEE!

That’s the link part, so let’s get into this animal.  I’m sure anyone who has ever heard of a manatee now has an image in their mind.  Chubby, grayish blue, wide tail, floating around, maybe some scars, and squinty-eyed face that looks rather serene.  They may look like seals, but they’re not.  They are their own creature with 3 definite species, 1 disputed species, and a close relative that I’m adding in.

Now, we tend to think of manatees being in Florida because that’s where those of us in America hear about them.  Yet, they’re also found in Western Africa and around the Amazon River.  Those are two other species.  I couldn’t find populations on the others, but the West Indian/North American/Florida manatee was at 13,000.  That isn’t a lot and they are endangered because of:

• Poaching for their meat, oils, and other body parts.
• Pollution such…