More to a manatee than meets the eye

I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, I'M CLEVER THAN I LOOK. (PHOTO: KEVBOW)

Poor misunderstood manatees. When a whale turned up in the Thames a while back, Londoners were delighted. When a Florida manatee turned up in the Hudson River in New York last week, New Yorkers described it as ugly, prehistoric, and resembling a sweet potato. I doubt they meant that as a compliment. But there is more to the humble manatee than meets the eye, according to neuroscientist Roger Leep.

Apparently, they are as adept at experimental tasks as dolphins, but they don't like fish so they're not as easily bought as their water mates. Despite having the lowest brain to body ratio of any mammal, they are clearly not stupid. Their brains are perfectly evolved to equip them for their lifestyle. As herbivores with no predators (apart from Floridians in speedboats), they don't need big brains. Instead of evolving disproportionally small brains, they seem to have evolved disproportionally large bodies to keep them warm in the water and help them digest vast amounts of plant matter. One thing they are exceptionally good at though, is sensory perception. Using the bristles on their snouts, they can detect grooves 0.05mm wide. This is more skilled than an elephant's trunk, and even a human's fingers.

The manatee is good at what it needs to be good at. Drifting around, digesting slowly, chilling out. But because they want to, not because that's all they can do. As a manatee expert at Harvard says...

“They're not stupid. They’re too smart to jump through hoops the way those dumb dolphins do.”

Via The New York Times.

Comments

[MT]

The manatee is good at what it needs to be good at. Drifting around, digesting slowly, chilling out. But because they want to, not because that's all they can do....

“They're not stupid. They’re too smart to jump through hoops the way those dumb dolphins do.”

Try that line on an employer or professor some time. Believe me, I have.

[Jan Law]

I'm not quite happy about the bristles on the snout bit, but mostly I think I could be happy as a manatee - all that drifting about, digesting slowly, chilling out - lovely.

[Mary T.]

I'm from NY, and never heard about this. Pro'ly my own fault, but, er, whatever... >_>
They did?! WHO?! I don't know anyone who would call a manatee that... :( Just trying to represent for NYC... we are cool, I don't know why everyone thinks we are agressive or cold. People smile at eachother in the street...

*cough* anyway, er. I like potatoes. o__o