Estimating the present number of manatees is a difficult endeavor. Current estimates, however, of manatees in Florida is about 1,000 to 3,000. The problem is that the death rate of these animals is increasing. And humans have a lot to do with their decline. Human activities are reported to have caused as high as 40% of the death of manatees. In the year 2006 alone, there were about 300 manatees that died as a result of direct and indirect human activities.

Manatees can be found in shallow and slow moving warm waters. If temperatures get as low as 14 degrees, they can get sick and die eventually. Because of this, they go to the warm waters of Florida during the winter. They usually can be found at the Chasswohitzka, Crystal and Homosassa Rivers. The reason behind this is that the average temperature of these rivers is at 22 degrees Centigrade.

Interestingly, manatees also come together near power plants where warm water is being released. There may be a problem with this though because a number of power plants have already closed and alternative ways to provide heat to these manatees should be found. In Guyana, four manatees could be found in the vicinity of the water treatment plant. These manatees help remove weeds in the storage canals.

Manatees are endangered. This is why there have been attempts to breed them in captivity. Snooty is the oldest manatee being held in captivity at the South Florida Museum since 1949.

Why are manatees endangered considering that they have very few predators?

The only animals that consider the manatee as prey are orcas, crocodiles, sharks and alligators. Even though this is the case, all species of manatees are considered as endangered by the World Conservation Union. Human activities, however, pose the greatest threat to manatees. In the United States alone, manatees die from being hit by boat propellers. Depending on where the propellers strike, the manatee can die from the injury.

Even if boats cause them serious damage and harm, manatees are by nature very curious. Veterinarians have spoken out about the dangers to manatees. In some cases, manatees’ tails have been severed. Their snouts are damaged and there are terrible wounds in their bodies that inflict pain on them. Serious efforts for conservation should be implemented by all countries where these manatees could be found. Endangered manatees should be saved because their demise will affect the ecosystem and the ecological balance of the world.