Regional Management Plan for the West Indian Manatee: Trichechus Manatus.
As truly aquatic herbivorous mammals, West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) occupy a specialized niche in the ecosystem. The uniqueness of their niche render them susceptible to over-exploitation. Manatees are long-lived, but reproductive processes are slow. Their naturally low population growth and present mortality levels hamper the increase of potential populations, and may actually be accelerating their decline.
