Secrets Of The Manatee

Highlights the work scientists are doing to protect the manatee, an endangered species.

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.

From two scientists who have been at the forefront of manatee research for over three decades, The Florida Manatee offers an engaging, accessible introduction to manatee biology, including communication, diet, long-distance migration, and much more. This second edition is updated with new scientific research, as well as discussions of recent conservation efforts—largely driven by manatee injuries and deaths resulting from boat collisions—that have contributed to the robust growth of manatee numbers in Florida. It also includes the latest predictions for manatee populations and health in the future, both in Florida and worldwide. This is the perfect book for anyone seeking the most comprehensive, current information on this fascinating marine mammal.

A tribute to Florida, fishing, and family All Skeet Waters wants is to catch a big, beautiful tarpon on his fly rod - and to keep everything else in his life in Florida the way it's always been. But on his spring break from school, Skeet overhears his mother telling his father to move out permanently. Then, while riding in his boat to escape his parents' troubles, he discovers a manatee that's been shot in the head. Skeet puts aside his search for the manatee and its killer when Dirty Dan the Tarpon Man offers to take him out to catch his first tarpon on a fly. Because of Dan, Skeet begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the manatee's apparent murder and his parents' dissolving marriage. Skeet discovers that life is a lot like tarpon fishing, in which you can't look just at the surface of the water - you have to look through it, at what lies beneath. The Missing Manatee is a nominee for the 2006 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery

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

Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers.

National Geographic Face to Face Readers is a high-interest series of books for confident, independent readers that have been adapted to a Key Stage 2 audience by education experts. The books pair magnificent National Geographic photographs with lively first-person text and fascinating facts about the natural world. Dive deep into the watery world of Manatees with an experienced nature photographer and learn all about these gentle giants. Written in an engaging and fun to read format, the captivating photos and fascinating facts are perfect for encouraging the future explorers and marine biologists of tomorrow! Level 5 readers are ideal for kids who are confident in reading independently and ready for the challenge of varied sentence lengths, some technical vocabulary and increasing inference.

How we can help save this 60 million year old mammal from extinction.