Manatee swimming
(Mirror Daily, United States) Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut held a public display over the past weekend (October 8-9). Visitors could see the most recently rescued manatee, which received the name of Washburn. It is a female, and she was rescued from the shores of Cape Cod.
Officials at Mystic Aquarium declared that they were honored to be part of such an activity. Staff members guided the visitors at the exhibition and held speeches on the situation of manatees. They are confident that raising awareness about their status is one of the best strategies to save the animals.
The rescued manatee was brought to Mystic Aquarium by IFAW authorities. Now, the female weighs eight hundred pounds. One of the most important things about this particular individuals is that she is pregnant.
Researchers stress the fact that the Florida manatee is an endangered species. The animals can’t stand the effects brought about by climate change, such as warming waters. Washburn was particularly monitored by specialists since August, and now they have the chance of taking good care of her.
Officials at the Connecticut facility assured visitors that the initiative of displaying the mammal was approved by higher authorities, such as the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service. They also intend to make sure that Washburn has a good heath status and that the pregnancy will go on well.
Manatees are aquatic mammals, which also go by the name of sea cows. They are large animals, eating marine vegetation and spending most of their time sleeping. They are famous for their slow moves and their tail, similar to that of whales.
Researchers account for the solitary tendency of manatees. The only exception is manatee females with their babies. However, after the babies depart, they are on their own again.
Adult manatees can be four meters long, as well as weight almost six hundred kilograms. They can live up to sixty years. There are three species, namely the West Indian manatee, the West African manatee, and the Amazonian manatee.
Specialists say that one of the main causes which lead to manatees’ death is interaction with humans. Boats sailing the waters where manatees live hit them often, and most of the injuries are deadly for the animals. They are also affected by the habitat loss and the high level of water pollution, which are also due to human activity.
People who visited the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut this weekend received all sorts of useful information on manatees and how to protect them.
Image courtesy of: Wikipedia