Can you eat manatee?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat manatee?”. We will also elaborate on the nutritional content of manatees, the interaction of manatees with humans, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of manatees.
Can you eat manatee?
Yes, you can eat manatees. In fact, during the past time manatee was considered a delicacy as it was the sole source of meat on the islands. This was when people used to eat fish thrice a day. Plus manatees have very good taste.
How does manatee taste?
Manatees are very delicious. The taste of manatee is a hybrid of the taste of beef and pork. Talking about the structure of the manatee, it is like pork with a good layer of fat under the skin.
According to some people, the meat of the manatee tastes like the meat of corned beef. But it is a bit tough and red as compared to corned beef.
What is the nutritional content of manatees
Following are some of the nutrients which can be availed by eating manatees.
- Protein
- Iron
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Sulphur
How to cook manatees?
Following are some steps to be followed while cooking manatees:
- Ingredients required to cook manatees include raw manatees, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce.
- All these ingredients except raw manatee are placed in a blender. Hot pepper and sauce will be added only if required.
- After placing in a blender, these all are blended for about thirty seconds over high speed. Blending must be done properly so that these are thoroughly mixed.
- The marinade is placed over the desired type of meat. Before cooking, the meat of the marinade can be covered and refrigerated for about eight hours.
What are the benefits of manatees?
Following are some benefits of manatees:
- Tourist attraction: Manatees help to raise the economy of the country by becoming the central point of tourists attraction. Almost 70,000 people come to Crystal River each year to see and swim with them.
- Source of fertilization: Manatees help seagrasses and some other submerged sea creatures by assisting them in fertilization.
- The ecological role of manatees: Manatees are very beneficial as they scrape off and consume bits of plant materials. Manatees glide over algae-covered rocks and logs as these are herbivores.
- The main component of a thriving ecosystem: All the components of the ecosystem are interdependent. Manatees help the ecosystem to flourish by consuming vegetation in huge quantities and then excrete these and enhance the rate of fertilization in the environment.
- Friendly behavior towards other humans: Manatees are only herbivores and don’t consume any animal. So they are very friendly. Plus manatees also keep a check over the vegetation under control.
What are the drawbacks of manatees?
Following are some drawbacks of manatees:
- Prone to zoonotic diseases: Manatees are prone to various zoonotic diseases. They are also vulnerable to major microbial infections including bacteria, mycobacteria and other fungal and viral diseases.
- Slow movement: One of the major drawbacks of manatees is that they move very slowly. Due to their slow movement, the chances of collision of manatees with boats is very high.
- Manatees meat can be toxic: Sometimes eating the meat of manatees can result in acute hypervitaminosis A which is Vitamin A poisoning which is characterized by vomiting, hair fall, bone impairment and even death.
The interaction of manatees and humans
The interaction of manatees with humans is not completely understood yet. In the presence of humans, manatees prefer to spend their time resting and milling.
The influence of humans on the number of present manatees is not much. In fact, the temperature is the main factor that decides the population size of manatees.
Manatees are not harmful to humans, they are very gentle and friendly creatures. However, if they sense any negative vibe, they immediately move away from that place.
Are manatees included in endangered species?
Yes, manatees have been listed as endangered species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The number of present manatees is 13,000. About sixty-five thousand manatees are present in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.
Due to the two major factors, manatees are endangered. The first one is the loss of habitat. Due to human activities, manatees along with many other animals are losing their habitat.
The second one is the collision of manatees with boats and ships. As new developments are constructed along water channels, natural nesting areas are eradicated.
Other FAQs about Fish that you may be interested in.
How long can fish be kept in the refrigerator?
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have provided an answer to the question, “Can you eat manatee?”. We have also elaborated on the nutritional content of manatees, the interaction of manatees with humans, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of manatees.
References
https://www.monkeyspit.net/sites/manatee/recipes.html
