The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a species of aquatic mammal native to the coastal regions of the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. Found in shallow, slow-moving rivers and estuaries, as well as along coasts with seagrass beds, they are highly vulnerable to human activities such as boat traffic and habitat …
There is some discussion over how many groups of marine mammals there are. Some organizations say four; others say five. They all include the same mammals, so I wanted to research what these are. NOAA recognizes four different groups: cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses), sirenians (manatees and dugongs), and marine fissipeds (polar bears and sea otters). The Marine Mammal Center separates …
North American manatees are the same species as the West Indian manatee. The manatee in North America is the most prominent member of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia. The North American manatee is distinct from the Amazonian and the African manatee. Recent genetic research suggests that the West Indian manatee consists of three groups, which …