amazonian manatee

However, they do seem to gather in groups of 4 or 8 during the dry season. The lifespan of the Amazonian manatee is unknown in the wild however records in captivity have found specimens to live up to 12 years. Normally eating consumes at least 8 hours a day for them. Required fields are marked *, Its nature offers you interesting information and facts on the natural world. In earlier times it was believed that they were sea gods and very old due to the wrinkles on their skin. The average size is just over 9 feet in length and anywhere from 790 to 1,200 pounds. The Amazonian manatee species inhabit the Amazon River and the African manatee swims along the west coast and rivers of Africa. Your contribution will be appreciated to improve our site. Amazonian manatee – Trichechus inunguis / Photo taken by KCO3. Since the gestation period is approximately 13 months it is obvious those are months when these animals feel the need to mate. These docile mammals have a rounded body with a small head and small eyes. Manatees are born underwater. They are very gentle by nature and don’t see to give humans too much of a problem. The content in this site was created from the following resources. Experts believe it is because they aren’t eating. A concern for the Amazonian Manatee though is that they do live in these smaller bodies of water. As the issue of global warming continues to be a concern, it is noted that is partially responsible for this situation occurring. While mammals have seven neck vertebrae as a general rule, manatees only have six. Usually the Amazonian manatee’s are solitary animals however females may travel together with their young. They also suffer from being captured in fishing nets and devices.

It can be easy to confuse the manatee with the dugong however the trait that is most recognizable in manatees is their paddle shaped tail which differs greatly from the dugong who has a tail similar to that of a whale. The skin is thick and wrinkled. Your email address will not be published. The last population estimate on the Amazonian manatee was just over 30 years ago where there was an estimated 10,000 alive in the wild. With that additional free time they choose to communicate with others and to play games. They also have the ability to fast for weeks or months during the dry season why food is scarce. Although today’s population unknown it is believed that the population may be in decline due to a number of different threats.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'itsnature_org-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',626,'0','0'])); Found throughout the Amazon basin the favored habitat of the Amazonian manatee is that of lagoons and backwater lakes that are plentiful in underwater plant life. They are often referred to as the sea cow in this region. It is often compared to that of a elephant. They live in areas of Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Brazil, Guyana, and Ecuador. Like most other manatee, the Amazonian are mainly loners or females with their young.

While the Amazonian Manatees can mate at any time of the year, January and June seem to be the most common times of the year when they have their offspring. The eating habits of the Amazonian Manatee are very different than those of other species. This means it becomes harder and harder for them to be able to find enough food to survive on. Males are from 5 to 6 years of age when they mate. Even those that get free often suffer from injuries that they don’t recover from. A great deal of their time is spent looking for food, eating, and sleeping. Manatee populations of the central Amazon Basin make an annual movement in July - August, when water levels begin to fall. They tend to live in water that is very murky from the mud so that can make it hard to see them. The Amazonian manatee’s follow the flow of the Amazonian river, feeding within the high waters during the flood season. There is a rainy season that will allow the types of plants that they feed on to grow rapidly.

The females tend to only mate once every 3 years unless they have lost their young. They have wide eyes and ear canals that are behind the eyes. Hopefully enough positive changes will be done now that are going to help them to survive. When the soil out there erodes it means that new plant life can’t grow. There are mating herds that form with a male and several females. They also feature skin that is very wrinkled. Posted by BioExpedition | Oct 30, 2012 | Mammals, Manatee |. A concern for the Amazonian Manatee though is that they do live in these smaller bodies of water. Different Varieties of Scorpions Across The Globe. They are often referred to as the sea cow in this region. Humans are a huge threat to the Amazonian Manatee. This can result in disease risk for them. As is the case with others manatee species, the females are a bit larger than the males. They live in small groups but they can gather in much larger groups. This is the smallest of the manatee species. The females are much younger, with the average age being around 3 years old. The Amazonian Manatee is a common sight around the Amazon Basin. Like all species, the Amazonian Manatee is very social. The new teeth will come in at the back and then move the others forward. They instinctively close the nostrils when they are under the water. Small amounts of plants will be introduced at a young age and steadily increased with time. The Amazonian manatee is the only fresh water manatee in the world and is found only in the Amazon river basin. All are threatened by overhunting, and the manatee has been listed as an endangered species. One thing that sets Amazonian manatees apart from other manatee species morphologically is the fact that they lack nails on their front flippers. The Amazonian manatee was first described as a curious combination of a hippopotamus and a seal. During this part of the year they are going to eat much more than they normally do. The female gestation period of the Amazonian manatee is around 12 months after which usually one calf will be born.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'itsnature_org-box-4','ezslot_1',628,'0','0'])); Your email address will not be published. Drastic interventions though have to be orchestrated if the Amazonian Manatee is going to survive even the next century. The color of this species of manatee can be brownish or gray. This species of manatee is more brown in color than it is gray. They move around often in order to find food, for mating, and to stay safe. The average size is just over 9 feet in length and anywhere from 790 to 1,200 pounds. Aquatic animals also include river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis); the semiaquatic capybara, the largest rodent in the world (weighing up to 170… Occasionally larger congregations of Amazonian manatee are seen at particularly good food sources. They have teeth that are large and flat. They also tend to get too close to boats or fishing nets out of curiosity. This unique species of manatee is currently classed as vulnerable and the exact population numbers are unknown.

These groups are rare and can contain anywhere from 4 – 8 manatees. They also have a short but round snout that allows them to smell very well. Many of them can dry up and leave the manatees with no feasible way for them to connect again to the larger bodies of water. Even so, it is still common for the Amazonian Manatee to starve to death. It eats most prodigiously during the rainy season when there is more vegetation available. They will take advantage of this and during a single day they can eat 9 to 15 kg.

They have also been seen playing games and having fun with each other. The Amazonian manatee is a herbivorous mammal – that is, it feeds exclusively on algae, aquatic plants and aquatic grasses. However, they can be very curious and that can get them into trouble. When the water levels begin to decrease some Amazonian manatee’s will follow the flow out into open water where they will still be able to feed however will be challenged by strong open currents while other Amazonian manatee may choose to stay in the deep lagoons and pools where they will live off their fat reserves until the next flood season comes around. They have been identified all along the Amazon River Basin. As is the case with others manatee species, the females are a bit larger than the males.

The Amazonian manatee is the only fresh water manatee in the world and is found only in the Amazon river basin. They tend to live in bodies of water that have connections to larger rivers so that they can always find enough vegetation. The future is uncertain for the Amazonian Manatee due to declined numbers, problems with their natural habitat, and the slow process of benefiting from conservation efforts. Many of them can dry up and leave the manatees with no feasible way for them to connect again to the larger bodies of water. The Amazonian manatee is also the only freshwater species of manatee, as well as the only exclusively freshwater member of the order Sirenia. The Amazonian manatee is the smallest species of manatee and has longer flippers than other species of manatee and its skin is more rubber like compared to other manatees who typically have more of a wrinkly skin. This allows them the ability to move back and forth between the access points when they need to find plenty of plant life to feed upon. They have been heavily hunted both for their meat and for commercial hunters that are looking for a thrill. This is the smallest of the manatee species. The Amazonian manatee has thick protective skin and has no external ears which is common in underwater mammals however the Amazonian manatee’s eyes are not well adapted for aquatic life which is unusual. As with many other herbivores the Amazonian manatee consumes a vast amount of plant material each day averaging around 12% of its total body weight.

The last population estimate on the Amazonian manatee was just over 30 years ago where there was an estimated 10,000 alive in the wild. They are herbivores and have access to a wide variety of types of plants. Humans continue to make it worse due to the process of deforestation. The freshwater locations around the Amazon Basin is home to the Amazonian Manatee. Yet they are highly adaptable which works in their favor when combined with such a habitat. They don’t have as much hair as other species but they do have significant whiskers around the mouth. However, it is now known that this is just a physical characteristic of this species of manatee. Amazonian manatee are gray in color and differ from white to pink on their underside.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'itsnature_org-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',627,'0','0'])); Active throughout both the daytime and night the Amazonian manatee is a herbivore and spends its entire life underwater feeding on aquatic plant life.

This works in their favor as they are able to go for long periods of time without food if they need to. Living only in bodies of freshwater, the Amazonian Manatee is generally found in lakes and lagoons.

by Manatee-World | Feb 27, 2014 | Species |.

Other articles where Amazonian manatee is discussed: Amazon River: Animal life: …the giant sea cow, or manatee, is sought for its flesh and for oil. They tend to eat much more during the wet season and that allows them to store up fat that they can survive on during that dry season when it is time for a change in the cycle.

They tend to find them off of the branches of larger rivers.

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