This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

“The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”  What is the guiding characteristic of this sentence?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

One of nature’s most recognized and threatened marine mammals is the manatee.  In American waters, manatees are commonly found along the Gulf coast, Florida’s shallow waters, and the southeastern coast.

Here are a few interesting facts about the manatee:

• Length:  Average adults stretch out nearly 10 feet
• Weight:  Average adults tip scales at 800-1,200 pounds (some over 2,000)
• Swimming Speed:  About 15 mph
• Diet:  Water grasses, weeds, and algae
• Lifespan:  In the wild, few live past 30 years

Because of their slow-moving and gentle nature, manatees are frequently called sea cows.  They enjoy grazing peacefully in warm, shallow waters.  Their days are filled with three primary activities:  eat, travel, and rest.  

While resting, adult manatees can stay submerged underwater for 15-20 minutes.  Their big, flat tail helps propel them through the water, almost effortlessly.  A pair of short forelimbs, called flippers, help to steer and hold vegetation.

Calves are born underwater, and the mother must guide the newborn to the surface for life’s first breath of air.  A calf is dependent upon its mother for 1-2 years.

Mating occurs most frequently during spring or summer.  Adult bulls and cows do not form permanent pairings.  A low reproductive rate is evident because one calf is usually born to a cow every 2-5 years.  Gestation takes up to one year, and a newborn calf usually weighs 60-70 pounds at birth.

Most American manatees winter near Florida because of the warmer waters.  During the summer months, many migrate to other waters.  Some have navigated to coastal waters near Texas and Massachusetts.

The biggest threat to manatees is death caused by mankind.  A variety of dangers exist:  watercraft collisions, litter, poaching, contact with flood gates and canal locks, and entanglements with fishing lines and hooks.