Christopher Columbus on the way to America made entry in the logbook that he happened to observe Sea Ladies who were not such at all beautiful as they are described in legends. For sweet-voiced sirens it accepted manatees, not too similar to people. Subsequently the name Sirenia was also assigned to group of these animals and their relatives of dugongs.
Not graceful Sea Ladies
If manatees can also be taken for mythical Sea Ladies, then unless for very well-fed and for some reason the lost hair. These are the large and good-natured animals reaching on average three meters and the weighing from four hundred to five hundred fifty kilograms. Makes related them with sirens unless existence of a vesloobrazny tail.
Animals have also flippers which they use not only when swimming, but also for walking on a bottom. The manatee can even funny be scratched by flippers. Skin of sirens is covered with rare wool which constantly fades. The interesting line of this look which is making related them with elephants is constant change of molars: to replace old and worn-out new regularly grow. Manatees live in waters at coast of North, Central and South America, at the western coast of Africa and also in the Caribbean Region.
Quite often they swim away and to the rivers flowing into the sea near their habitats, and the Amazonian manatee lives only in fresh water. Despite the quite impressive sizes, manatees are the peace animals eating exclusively vegetable food – seaweed, near-water plants and also fruits which fell in water. Time in three-five years at females of manatees appears one cub who remains with mother at least within two years, will not become independent yet. However between a female and an adult cub the communication all the same remains.
Problems of manatees
Manatees practically have no natural enemies therefore these animals did not develop during evolution of a habit constantly to be on the lookout and in case of danger to escape or attack the opponent. They are friendly and curious, without fear come into contact with divers, allow to stroke themselves. Cubs with pleasure play with people while adult individuals favourably look at it and use a respite in the pleasure. Similar habits served to manatees evil service. Today there are three species of this animal: the American, African and Amazonian manatee, all of them are under the threat of disappearance. Slow animals long time were subject to hunting, their meat was very appreciated. Today production of manatees is forbidden, but also other dangers to sirens appeared. They often perish, having got under blades of boat motors, swallow fishing nets that also leads to their death.