Injured by a passing motorboat, a pregnant manatee is rescued and taken to an aquarium to recover and have her baby in a safe environment.

An introduction to the slow-moving, water-loving, plant-eating gentle giant called the manatee.

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

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.

The quiet manatee has long been a flash point of frequent environmental debates. It is Florida's most famous endangered species, as well as its most controversial. Manatees appear on hundreds of license plates, attract hordes of tourists, and expose the uneasy relationships between science and the law and between freedom and responsibility like no other animal.  As passions have flared and resentments have grown, the battle over manatee protection has evolved into a war, and no reporter has followed the story more closely than Craig Pittman, the first environmental writer to explore the complex history, culture, and science of the controversies and concerns surrounding this remarkable creature.  With an abiding interest in the uncertain fate of this unique species, Manatee Insanity provides the first in-depth history of the attempts to provide legal protection for the manatee. Pittman follows Florida’s gentle giants through time and space, detailing interactions with a variety of human actors, from Jacques-Yves Cousteau to Jeb Bush to Jimmy Buffett, from a popular children's book author to a federal lawman who dressed in a gorilla suit for the ultimate undercover assignment.

Young readers will find everything they want to know in these informative books about a wide variety of animals.

Perfect for fans of Catherine Hapka -- a heart-warming story about a girl who must find her voice, with lots of manatee and dolphin fun along the way! Becca Wong Walker may be so shy that most people at school think she doesn't speak at all, but why should she care? She has more important things to worry about. Missy, the manatee who visits the dock in Becca's backyard, and Becca's only friend, hasn't been seen for a long time. When Missy finally does return, she has a new baby with her! Becca wants to be excited, but more than ever inconsiderate boaters are speeding through the river, putting the lives of Missy and her baby in terrible danger.One day, Becca spots a dolphin in the river too! By bonding over the dolphin and manatees, Becca finally starts to make friends at school. But when Becca takes a video that goes viral, it seems like it will be harder than ever to save the manatees... and trying might just tear Becca's new friendships apart.

"This fully illustrated book is a comprehensive, yet convenient and easy-to-understand guide to Florida's endangered and threatened animals and the habitats that support them. Chris Scott covers all 71 species, subspecies, or populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, crustaceans, insects, corals, and mollusks. His species accounts describe each animal's listed status, identifying characteristics, historical and current distribution, biology, current threats, and conservation efforts.

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.