Also known as sea-cows, these are the weary miniature-whale-like dwellers of the tropical shallows.
... they are only miniature compared to whales, however. These gentle giants graze day-long on seaweed and other straggly underwater greens ...
Their inset eyes appear closed when they are open:
Though not conventionally pretty, they are very photogenic with kindly-looking faces:
Manatees often became victims to boat propellers till the laws were changed in Florida and some other places, insisting that propellers be housed in cages just like the wire box manufacturers have to put around household fans:
Manatees are mammals so their babies drink milk:
The babies are tiny and very cute ...
V I D E O . . .
Hi Gledwood glad to see all is well in your world :-)
ReplyDeleteA face only a mother could love ;) Gleddie, gonna email you on Monday, just so busy ... sorry ... I know I am crap. Thinking of u though xxx
ReplyDeleteWe have two of their 'cousins' at the Sydney Aquarium - Dugongs, they look the same except they have a fluked tail. Just lovely things.
ReplyDeleteWe have dugongs in Moreton Bay...similar to manatees. Apparently they are what the sailors called mermaids...so I've heard. I don't really think that looks anything like the popular perception of a mermaid. But they are lovely gentle mammals and as you say, victims of boat propellers. Ours are under threat as are a lot of animals these days.
ReplyDeleteThey come up to our area in the summer and are wonderful to see. They indeed are very gently. But they suffer mortality from boat propellers and carry the scars of such. Very sad indeed.
ReplyDeleteThey are cute. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteyou certainly love animals and that's good.
ReplyDeleteI've always been courious about these gentle creatures. I always thought their faces looked very sweet.
ReplyDeleteJanice~
SALLY: aye ~ coastin' along ...
ReplyDeleteFISHWISKAS: cheers dears. U did get the address right? If there's any prob I'll give it you again. I'm not v successful with emails these days...
BAINO: DUGONGS? NEVER HEARD OF 'EM! MAYBE I'LL DO THEM NEXT WEEK!!
PUSSINBOOTS: they'd have been pretty ugly mermaids ..(!!!!!!!)
SYD: well why don't they enforce propeller-cages everywhere? Surely the boat only loses 0.1% power, it can't cost more than $50 and the manatees are happy. O yeah but manatee-happeiness doesn't coount.
ReplyDeleteADDICTION: UR welcome ;->...
BRAD: aye I do ...
JANICE: yeah very sweet indeed. But not pretty enough to be called MERMAIDS ... surely!!!
They look like underwater canines don't they *!*
ReplyDeleteGleddy,
ReplyDeleteThe babies are sort of cute, but, for an animal lover, I think Manatees are schlubs overall. Don't care for them.
I once had a friend who thought she was a reincarnated Manatee. Seriously. Jesus.
Love, SB.
BIMBIMBIE: more like cows to me. Or seals even. But I see what you mean. I used to call my little Trotters "tonkies". But nobody would really think Bashful, Itchy or Spherical looked like a horse ...!
ReplyDeleteSB: A reincarnated manatee? Gimme strength!!
I don't think they're pretty; NB my title BLOBBEROUS FRIDAY ON SATURDAY ..!