Two investigators from the University of Florida are taking advantage of a unique opportunity to investigate the sperm biology of West Indian manatees in both Florida and Puerto Rico.
West Indian manatee from Florida. Modified from National Geographic.
The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus spp.) is a large herbivorous mammalian species (average length 3 meter and weight 500 Kg) that typically occupies estuarine and marine inshore environments. The West Indian manatee remains the most widely and well-studied sirenian species but due to the inherent difficulties associated with marine mammal research, few studies have focused specifically on the reproductive physiology of male manatees.
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