Jenna Golden, science and outreach coordinator for Save the Manatee Club, said that the manatee is graceful, but also rather slow.
The manatee also has to come to the surface frequently for air. This makes them more likely to be injured by passing boats.
Some coastal waterways have put speed regulations into place to slow the boats down. It is a start, but it isn’t enough.
Jenna says that the number of deaths due to boat accidents isn’t truly known. Many deaths go unnoticed or unreported. A truly sad thing is when a mother manatee (who is nursing her baby) is killed.
