What kind of environment do manatees live in

What you will observe around them comes down to the time of year, the amount of food readily available, and the location. Due to their need for warm waters, huge masses of manatee migrate to Florida annually. They are usually there from November to March.

The temperature of the water is generally at least 70 degrees there. As the summer emerges they are found along many other state coastlines in the USA as well. They include Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. It is believed that at least 3, manatee have a permanent residence in Florida.

With the various tracking devices that have been placed on some of them, we have found out key information. They are also found in the Caribbean. It is believed that the Amazonian Manatees are only found in freshwater. They are found along the Amazon Basin all the way to Brazil as well. Manatees are herbivores and feed on a variety of submerged, emergent and floating plants.

Some common freshwater plants manatees are known to eat include Eelgrass and Coontail along with exotic species like Water hyacinth and Hydrilla. Because seagrass requires sunlight, most seagrass is found in clear shallow waters. These grass-like plants form small patchy beds that develop into large continuous beds known as seagrass meadows. Manatees are known to consume all species of seagrass found in Florida, including Manatee grass, Turtle grass, Shoal grass, and others.

Learn more about how s eagrasses are a vital part of the marine ecosystem. Conservation and protection of aquatic vegetation involves many citizens, stakeholders and partners from government and industry. These conservation efforts include:. The water temperature in these refuges must be consistent and reliable in order for manatees to seek out and reuse these sites on an annual basis.

Manatees are regarded as tropical marine mammals, migrating to warmer waters during the colder months of the year. Prolonged exposure to lower water temperatures causes manatees to lose body heat and inadequately digest their food, which can lead to a condition classified as "cold stress" and eventually can be fatal.

Historically, manatees relied solely on warm water springs and other natural areas for refuge in winter. With the advent of power plants and other industrial sources of warm water effluent, many manatees began using these discharge basins as winter refuges. Loss of warm water habitat is a serious long-term threat to manatees. Northwest Florida. Rocky Mountains. Sagebrush Sea. Sky Islands. Southern Appalachians. Temperate Rainforest. Texas Hill Country. Wetlands and Rivers. Our Work.

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