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Everyone has heard
of Walt Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and most everyone has seen
a depiction of a mermaid at some point in time. But what is a mermaid
and where did the tale originate? Being a fan of folklore and in
particular monsters and unidentifiable creatures of the sea this
question intrigued me. The tale of the mermaid has been around since
mankind first started sailing the seven seas. Even today, in our
popular culture, the lore is still strong. As far as I can deduce,
sailors first told the stories of mermaids after their long voyages
at sea. Mermaids were just one of the many sea monsters they encountered
and stories they told.
However, mermaids
were particularly deadly to sailors, as their songs were irresistible
and once heard the sailors were unable to resist their magic and
would steer their ships towards them. As the ships approached the
rocks that the mermaids were sitting on, they would crash. The mermaids
would then proceed to eat or drown the men. I believe the mermaids
were actually quite clever in the way they hunted mankind, for rocks
they sat upon most likely showed only 10 % of the rocks true
size. The remaining 90 % of the rocks bulk was below the surface
of the water, very much like the icebergs in the arctic.
Of course,
this assumes that mermaids did exist and that they behaved in this
manner towards mankind. In 1835, Hans Christian Anderson wrote the
fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” and although the ending was not
by modern day standards “happy” it certainly was a far cry from
the cannibal mermaids of earlier tales. The story caused a worldwide
fascination with the mermaid. So, what were these mermaids that
the sailors saw? It seems logical that every “sea monster” would
have its origins in a real species of fish or marine mammal.
But what marine
mammal is the mermaid? Over the centuries, there have been many
captured and exhibited “mermaids”; although none of these creatures
were actually the marine mammals that the sailors mistook for mermaids.
One of the most famous mermaids ever “captured” and “displayed”
was the Feejee mermaid owned by P.T. Barnum. This three-foot monstrosity
was not a mermaid, but most likely a combination of different animals
and fish skeletons put together to resemble someone’s idea of a
“mermaid”. I doubt very much that a sailor would have seen this
three-foot mermaid sitting on a rock across the sea, much less hear
it singing over a distance. The most widely accepted theory is that
this object of “nautical fantasy” originated from the Manatee.
Upon seeing
a manatee, you would wonder how anyone could mistake these creatures
for the lovely mermaid with a half female and half fish body. In
fact the Manatee (and in particular the first ones discovered) is
sometimes referred to as a “Sea Cow”. This doesn’t exactly bring
up the images of the beautiful mermaid we have come to know. So,
why was this marine mammal mistaken for a mermaid? No one quite
knows, but most likely, it is a combination of things. For example,
the calf nurses underwater from a nipple located behind the mother’s
flipper. The location of this nipple may have helped spark the mermaid
myth since it is in the same general area of a woman’s breast. They
also tend to stay within 20 miles of the shore so if a boat were
being “lured” to them most likely it would run aground and crash.
Manatees
are very graceful swimmers underwater, using their two front flippers
as rudders to guide them. With the distortion of looking at them
through water, they may have appeared very fluid and, dare I say,
seductive in their swimming patterns. Since their back end is smooth,
they have no back flippers; this could explain the image of a fish
tail below the woman’s torso. I am however hard pressed to explain
the eating habits of the mermaids as the Manatees are strictly vegetarian,
consuming about 100 lbs. of vegetation a day. One theory offered
is that when the corpses of sailors were discovered drowned and
partially eaten, most likely by crabs and other sea animals, the
blame was assigned to the Manatees/Mermaids due to their reputation.
To confuse a Manatee and a Mermaid I can only imagine those sailors
had some pretty good rum on those ships!
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I have answered
the question “what is a mermaid?” now I must answer the question
“what is a Manatee and why do I love them?” A Manatee is of the
scientific order Sirenia (which comes from the word “Siren”, a Greek
term used for sea nymphs). There are five types in this order, the
Amazonian Manatee, West African Manatee, West Indian Manatee, the
Dugong and Steller’s Sea Cow. Like the whale, the manatee has a
completely aquatic existence, living on or near the surface of the
water, never venturing in waters deeper than 20 feet. They average
around 10 feet in length and weigh between 800 and 1200 pounds.
Even with their size, they actually have very little body fat for
an aquatic mammal. This makes them susceptible to cold, which can
lead to death by cold stress. To maintain their body temperatures
they live in either fresh or salt water environments that maintain
temperatures of 68 degrees or higher.
So, what is
it that attracts me to them? To me they represent an innocence,
vulnerability and joy that can only be found in their gentleness
and seeming excessive ugliness and size, and yes I like the damaged
stuffed animals best. They are the equivalent of that extremely
fat cat that you or someone you know owns or owned at one point
or another. Like a cat, the Manatee eats up to 8 hours a day and
rests up to 12 hours a day. Largely, because of their living habits,
they are now classified as an endangered species, mainly due to
their inability to escape their biggest predator, man.
The other
high cause of casualty is being hunted. Since they don’t stray far
from shore, and travel about 3 – 5 miles per hour, they are easy
targets. They can travel faster, upwards to 20 miles an hour, but
only for short burst. The entire animal can be used, which makes
for their appeal to hunters. In fact, the Stellar Sea Cow was hunted
to extinction within 27 years of its discovery for those very reasons.
It is estimated that there are only around 2000 West Indian Manatees
left around Florida. Although they are a protected species, they
are still being killed off by a variety of situations caused by
mankind.
The most potent
man made danger is watercraft, i.e., powerboats, jet skiers, etc.
Recreational boating and skiing usually takes place in the same
bodies of water, in which the Manatee lives and feeds. They are
vulnerable to boat hits, because they are slow moving, prefer shallow
waters and need to surface frequently for air. The Manatee, depending
upon it’s activity, needs to surface for air every 30 seconds to
20 minutes thus making it an easy target for surface vehicles.
The crushing impact
of the hull and/or slashing of the propeller causes many Manatees
serious injuries and in certain cases leads to death. In the case
of larger vessels they can become caught between the vessel and
the water bottom or docking structure and crushed. This is the single
largest category of Manatee mortality in the United States. They
also are caught, crushed, or drowned in fold fates or canal locks.
Littering of plastic bags, plastic six pack holders, monofilament
fishing lines, etc., can cause the Manatee to become entangled in
or ingest these items that can cause injury or death.
There are organizations
that have set up warm water sanctuaries in Florida for the Manatees
to migrate to in the colder winter months and live in a relatively
safe environment, sorry no mermaids allowed. This also allows the
public to view and learn more about the Manatee. There are also
ways for people to help. I currently am a foster
parent to a Manatee named Deep Dent. Unfortunately, he received
his name because of the massive scaring he has on his body due to
the propellers of boats. I dedicate this article to him.
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