Aspectos biológicos de los sirénidos Trichechus manatus Linnaeus, 1758 en México

Abstract

Manatees are aquatic mammals of the Order Sirenia are herbivorous and feed of vegetation in rivers, lagoons and coasts where they live. Aspects such as low birth rate, illegal hunting, habitat loss and collisions with boats have placed these animals as endangered species which have been granted the status of species protected by Mexican law. It describes the main features evolutionary, habitat, distribution, population in Mexico, morphology, physiology, digestion, metabolism, reproduction, feeding and behavior, giving an overview of the species. It is imperative to conduct studies on various aspects of the Mexican populations of manatees and habitat maintenance to prevent the extinction of the species since there are scientific reports that statistically, in the most pessimistic scenarios, locate the species to 60 years of the
extinction.