Florida manatee (Behavior – reproduction)- Part two/three

Video courtesy: the State Archives of Florida, USA

The title of this video: “Florida Silent Sirens: Manatees in Peril and was filmed during 1980s

The caption of the video states: “This is an excellent film about the plight of the endangered manatee. It is narrated by Leonard Nimoy and is full of beautiful underwater photography. It shows tracking by radio collar, injured manatees and manatee interaction with people”.

Florida Manatee (Part 02)

 

The following review is the responsibility of Dr. Abdel Rahman El Gamal, Founder of the video channel and website

Behavior: Manatees are generally solitary animals that spend approximately 50% of the day sleeping submerged, surfacing for air regularly at intervals of less than 20 minutes. The remainder of the time is spent grazing. They are extremely gentle and peaceful and have been described as incapable of aggression. Manatees only breathe through their nostrils, since while underwater, their mouths are occupied with eating. Like other air-breathing marine mammals, manatees must periodically surface for air.
Manatees swim at about 5 to 8 kilometers per hour; much speedy swimming has been known in short bursts (up to 30 km/hour).
Reproduction: Female manatees reach sexual maturity between five and nine years of age. Manatees typically breed once every two years. A female manatee usually seeks quiet area in which to give birth after a gestation of about 12 months. Generally, most births are of a single calf about 120 centimeters long with about 30 kilograms weight, although a few cases of twins have been documented.
Immediately after birth, calves vocalize and this is an important part of the mother-calf strong bonding process. Within few hours after birth, calves begin to nurse underwater from teats located behind the mother’s flippers. They begin eating plants a few weeks after birth.
Within minutes of birth, newly born calves swim with -and in parallel to- their mothers directly behind her flipper.
Although a manatee calf is probably nutritionally independent by the end of its first year, it may stay with its mother for another year or two. During this period, mother passes to her calf information on feeding and resting areas, travel routes and warm water refuges.
Note: If you interested to know more on this interesting animal, you are welcome to visit the first part (video) and the third part of the same title on threats and conservation.

 

 

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