Secrets of the Manatee offers a fascinating look at Florida’s most mysterious marine creature. Floating just below the surface of the water, manatees have remained largely unknown and misunderstood by humans. Now, their very survival depends on a delicate balance between human interference and conservation. This book is written for people who care about manatees, who want to learn about them, and, ultimately, who want to save them. This book explores the evolutionary history and fascinating biology of the manatee, asking questions such as, why do they have solid bones and marching molars? Big tummies but no blubber? Lots of friends and no enemies? And other queries like, are manatees invasive? Do they speak or squeak? Why do they have whiskers? Are they dangerous? How can we help them thrive again? This book answers these—and many more—questions about this very special mammal.
Introduces readers to tghe life cycle, behaviors, and the natural habitats of manatees living off Florida's southern coast and describes the conservations efforts performed to protect tyhe species.
The Florida Manatee is an engaging, accessible introduction to manatee biology from two scientists who have been at the forefront of manatee research for over three decades.
A photographic journey into the secret world of Florida’s beloved manatee. Winner of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title of the Choice ACRL Manatees, the gentle giants of Florida's lagoons and coastal habitats, can bring a smile to the face of anybody lucky enough to spy one. As manatees dip and roll through the water, crowds gather to watch them feed on aquatic vegetation. Whether they are congregating by the hundreds or resting or feeding alone, viewing these sea cows can provide anyone interested in nature with hours of tranquil pleasure. Having survived for eons, today's manatees are now under constant threat due to our rapidly swelling human population. Their habitats are often devastated by development and pollution. The slow-moving manatees also live at the mercy of chance, for they occupy waters filled with fast-moving boats powered by razor-sharp propellers—a new form of predator from which they have no protection. Boat speed limits have been put in place to protect manatees, but there is a constant push to lift them so that people can once again zip across the waters that manatees call home. For this reason, manatees are often a subject of controversy that pits their lives against the rights of boat owners. In this book, manatee expert John E. Reynolds III and famed photographer Wayne Lynch join forces to reveal the clearest portrait of manatees ever published. Florida Manatees is a song for the manatee, a celebration of the lives of these majestic creatures. Reynolds's concise, informative text shares what scientists know about manatees, while Lynch's beautiful photographs instantly demonstrate how special these "potatoes with whiskers" really are. By encouraging an appreciation of manatees, the authors hope to help ensure a future in which Floridians can find ways to coexist with and continue to enjoy these uniquely wonderful sirenian inhabitants of their state. Included in this book: How manatees first came to Florida waters How manatees fit into the ecosystems of Florida What and how much manatees eat How manatees behave and communicate with one another Why manatees look the way they do Why manatees have whiskers How manatee mothers feed their young and much more
2021 Redbud Read-Aloud Book Award Masterlist Writing a school report on sea cows? You might ask this sea cow what SHE thinks! When an imaginative second-grader writes a school report about sea cows, the subject is not happy with her portrayal. Sea Cow—or Manatee, as she prefers to be called—comes to life on the pages of the report and decides to defend herself against unflattering comparisons to set the record straight with fascinating facts about manatees.
The quiet manatee has long been a flash point of frequent environmental debates. It is Florida's most famous endangered species, as well as its most controversial. Manatees appear on hundreds of license plates, attract hordes of tourists, and expose the uneasy relationships between science and the law and between freedom and responsibility like no other animal. As passions have flared and resentments have grown, the battle over manatee protection has evolved into a war, and no reporter has followed the story more closely than Craig Pittman, the first environmental writer to explore the complex history, culture, and science of the controversies and concerns surrounding this remarkable creature. With an abiding interest in the uncertain fate of this unique species, Manatee Insanity provides the first in-depth history of the attempts to provide legal protection for the manatee. Pittman follows Florida’s gentle giants through time and space, detailing interactions with a variety of human actors, from Jacques-Yves Cousteau to Jeb Bush to Jimmy Buffett, from a popular children's book author to a federal lawman who dressed in a gorilla suit for the ultimate undercover assignment.
In this poignant middle grade contemporary debut that New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate calls “by turns heartbreaking and heart-healing,” Evan Griffith beautifully captures all the tenderness and uncertainty that come with caring for family, friends, and the natural world. Peter and his best friend, Tommy, have a goal for their last summer before middle school: finish their Discovery Journal, a catalog of the wildlife around their Florida town. When they spot a manatee in a canal, Peter knows they’ve found something special—and when the manatee is injured by a boat, something to protect! As Peter joins the fight to save Florida manatees, he also finds himself taking care of his ailing grandfather and facing an unwelcome surprise that jeopardizes his friendship with Tommy. Soon Peter is adrift, navigating shifting tides and realizing that he has as much to discover about himself as he does about the world around him.
Amazon #1 Best Selling Series COMPLETE SERIES COLLECTION - Includes all 6 books in "The Sand Dollar Inn - Manatee Bay Series" Nina is in shock. Her husband had just passed leaving her with just their family Bed and Breakfast, The Sand Dollar Inn. After the difficult recent death of her husband, she had finally thought her worst days were behind her. Her children being grown, each day she continued to stay busy running and managing her Bed and Breakfast, located near the beautiful Manatee Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The beauty of the area had helped ease her mind and keep her thoughts from diving too deep. Disaster strikes when her lawyer notifies her of the massive amount of debt that her late husband had accrued during their marriage. At risk of losing the Bed and Breakfast and the only thing keeping her afloat, Nina must figure out how to repay the debt. As ideas begin to come into place, an adventure begins. Nina discovers secrets held by her late father during his world travels. Hidden treasure that could be the answer to her biggest problems. Along the way, Nina and her grown children discover the thrill of adventure as help begins to come from some of the most unexpected places. An adventure she could have never anticipated. Dive in and come visit the beautiful South Florida coast and The Sand Dollar Inn. Tag along in Nina's adventure and meet all the new characters The Sand Dollar Inn and Manatee Bay attracts!
