Research indicates that when a boat has a higher frequency the manatees rapidly swim away from danger.[49]. The manatees flaky skin adaptation also helps keep the algae and barnacles from building up on the animals. Some studies indicate that the rate is about 1cm/month although other studies indicate 0.1cm/month. However, The U.S. Elephants are their closest relative and you can see some of the similarities in their droopy grey skin. A manatee swims by moving its large paddle-like tail in an up-and-down motion. Recent testing[citation needed] shows that manatees may be able to hear speed boats and other watercraft approaching, due to the frequency the boat makes. These whiskers are very sensitive and researchers believe that they help with various types of brain functions as . Manatees & Dugongs are often confused with each other but they really are different species. The manatee size is perhaps what led to the name sea cow. Copyright 1999 - 2023 State of Florida. So let's show everyone how to love the world's oceans and everything in it. The manatee uses its muscular prehensile upper lips much like an elephant (a distant relative of the manatee) uses the tip of its trunk to pick up items. [79], Snooty died suddenly two days after his 69th birthday, July 23, 2017, when he was found in an underwater area only used to access plumbing for the exhibit life support system. Male manatees (bulls) are not part of the family unit. Save the Manatee Club is a non-profit group and membership organization that works to protect manatees and their aquatic ecosystems. Between November and March each year, about 600 West Indian manatees gather in the rivers in Citrus County, Florida such as the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Like most marine mammals, manatees often stay underwater for a considerable amount of time but have to resurface for air, even when they are sleeping. According to marine mammal veterinarians: The severity of mutilations for some of these individuals can be astounding including long term survivors with completely severed tails, major tail mutilations, and multiple disfiguring dorsal lacerations. These 6 Viking myths are compelling, but are they true? Fish and Wildlife Service to Reclassify West Indian Manatee from Endangered to Threatened", "Record 6,250 Manatees Spotted in Florida Waters", "Amazonian Manatee - Facts, Information & Habitat", "Macro-habitat preferences by the African manatee and crocodiles ecological and conservation implications", Florida boaters killing endangered manatees, "Audiogram and auditory critical ratios of two Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)", Long Term Prospects for Manatee Recovery Look Grim, According To New Data Released By Federal Government, "Conserving Manatees: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intentions of Boaters in Tampa Bay, Florida", "Manatee Deaths From Boat Strikes Approach Record: Club Asks For Boaters' Urgent Help", "Brevetoxicosis: Red tides and marine mammal mortalities", "Manatee death toll hits record in Florida, 'Red Tide' blamed", "Scientists Say Toxin in Red Tide Killed Scores of Manatees", "Manatees are starving in Florida. Sea levels lowered and increased erosion and silt runoff was caused by glaciation. Manatees have a large flexible upper lip which they use to guide vegetation into their mouths. The bones are soft when the manatee is young and later harden as they mature. In winter, Florida manatees gather in large numbers in these natural springs, including the springs in Crystal River and Homosassa on the west coast and the Blue Spring on the east coast. West Indian and West African manatees have three or four fingernail-like the toenails on an elephant's feet-at the tips of their flippers. Taste and smell, in addition to sight, sound, and touch, may also be forms of communication. This unusual dental adaptation is found only in the modern manatees, suggesting that the manatee diet at an earlier time was extremely abrasive. These amazing creatures fulfill a unique niche by serving as indicator species for ecosystems across the United States. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Besides breathing, the lungs help the manatee with buoyancy control. Their diet is a large part of why manatees are such good indicators of an ecosystem's health; when manatees are thriving, it means that their immediate environment is flourishing with life. [77], The oldest manatee in captivity was Snooty,[78] at the South Florida Museum's Parker Manatee Aquarium in Bradenton, Florida. Unauthorized use is prohibited. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Nitrogen-rich fertilizer is making its way to the sea, nourishing algae, which proliferate on the ocean surface and block sunlight from reaching seagrass below. Average adult weights are approximately 363 to 544 kg (800-1,200 lb.). [82] This process continues throughout the manatee's lifetime. Manatees have two fore limb flippers that they use for steering movements and to hold vegetation while eating. Calves nurse from their mothers teats, which are found right where the forward limbs meet the body. Protecting manatees starts with being more aware of how our daily lives, including the food we eat, affects the health of the ocean and rivers where manatees are swimming. Many manatees have been cut in two by large vessels like ships and tug boats, even in the highly populated lower St. Johns River's narrow channels. Nearly every single day since Jan. 1, manatees have been found dead in the wild. [26], Manatees have four rows of teeth. Manatees have been seen as far north as Cape Cod, and in 1995[31] and again in 2006, one was seen in New York City[32] and Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. There are 6 to 8 high-crowned, open-rooted molars located along each side of the upper and lower jaw giving a total of 24 to 32 flat, rough-textured teeth. Their teeth grow throughout their entire life. Deaths by boat strikes are still common. A baby manatee is born weighing an astounding 60+ pounds at birth. The tail is evenly rounded and forms a paddle shape. Apart from mothers with their young, or males following a receptive female, manatees are generally solitary animals. We receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Small eyes (about 2 cm or 0.8 in. Because of their reliance on the health of their habitat, manatees often act as a signal of their environments well-being. A manatee is a marine mammal which means that they do not have gills to breathe underwater. But even slight disturbances to their lifestyles can do irreparable harm. Barnacles (found mostly on coastal dwelling manatees) often leave round scars from attachment sites; movement from saltwater to freshwater habitats clears the animals of these saltwater hitchhikers. Each PowerPoint slide has a question. Their behavior is similar to that of dolphin s, filled with curiosity for humans and a playful character. All Rights Reserved. Being up close can give people a new level of respect for these animals. Yes, and no, says Natasha Bui, PT, DPT, CCRT, owner of Amicus Rehab. Algae often grows on the backs and tails of manatees, which makes their skin color appear green orbrown. There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living species in the order Sirenia: the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). 4. Manatee numbers declined throughout the last century, mostly because of hunting pressure. To compensate for this, manatee teeth are continually replaced. Should we celebrate or fret? Wildlife officials in Florida wouldn't allow people to swim with manatees if it weren't safe. Killing one was taboo and required penance. One of the fun facts about manatees is that they are curious and social creatures that can be found swimming and interacting with human divers. A manatees small eyes have nictitating membranes that can be drawn over them for protection underwater but still allow the animal some sight. Internal injuries stemming from being trapped between hulls and docks and impacts have also been fatal. Manatees are not predators, and consequently, they do not have canine teeth. The one key difference: the angle between the kitty's knee and her hips. The calves also can start nibbling on plants at only a few weeks old. [59] In early 2022 the U.S. This and their average speed of 3 to 5 miles per hour means that manatees are way. She is based in Washington, D.C. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine However, a manatee may not be able to hear the approaching boats when they are performing day-to-day activities or distractions. When anterior molars wear down, they are shed. The etymology of the name is unclear, with connections having been made to Latin manus "hand" and to pre-Columbian Tano manati "breast". The remainder of the time is mostly spent grazing in shallow waters at depths of 12m (3ft 3in 6ft 7in). Other blooms in 1982 and 2005 resulted in 37 and 44 deaths, respectively. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to find a new way to heat the water for manatees that depended on plants that have closed. The fourth is the Eastern Hemisphere's dugong. Manatees are known to be friendly animals, even when met in the wild. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1995). Manatee calves are born underwater after gestating in their mothers' wombs for about 12-14 months on average. Posterior molars erupt at the back of the row and slowly move forward to replace these like enamel crowns on a conveyor belt, similarly to elephants. Most mammals have a singlepointed apex at the base (heartshaped). Some Florida manatee are known to travel up the eastern coastline into Georgia, the Carolinas, and a few travel as far north as Massachusetts during warm months. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Conservation Status: All three species are rated Vulnerable Other interesting manatee facts: Manatees have the smallest brains in relation to . The female manatee has two teats, one under each flipper,[6] a characteristic that was used to make early links between the manatee and elephants. *This article may contain affiliate links. People protect what they love. [48], Manatees hear on a higher frequency than would be expected for such large marine mammals. As land animals manatees used their forelimbs to walk. As the teeth wear down, new molars grow in the back of the mouth and gradually move forward. Without humans affecting their natural habitat, these sea cows can live up to 60 years or even longer. Natural causes of death include adverse temperatures, predation by crocodiles on young, and disease. In the 1910s and again in the 1950s, sugar estates in Guyana used manatees to keep their irrigation canals weed-free. Answering the question "do bees have knees" now depends on strictly following the definition of a human knee or just looking at the function of the joint. The bones in a manatee's flipper are similar to a human hand. Manatees do not view us as a threat. In 1741, Georg Wilhelm Steller first described the sea cow from islands off the coast of Russia (in what would later be called the Bering Sea) as subsisting off of kelp and not being able to submerge underwater. All rights reserved. Scientists think this may have to do with their slow metabolism. Please be respectful of copyright. Watch this video of a manatee calf nursing. When swimming in freshwater environments like the Amazonian manatee, they eat plants like alligator weed, pickerelweed, water celery, and musk grass. [18] A statewide synoptic survey in January 2010 found 5,067 manatees living in Florida, the highest number recorded to that time. A manatee weighs 800-1200 lbs, therefore they need to eat roughly 100 lbs of sea grass and plants daily. A manatee weighs 800-1200 lbs, therefore they need to eat roughly 100 lbs of sea grass and plants daily. 10. How was Rome founded? It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Manage My Data Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It is hard to estimate their numbers due to their secretive nature and the murky water where they often live. Explore some of the most important (and amusing) facts about manatees: 1. In addition to molars, manatees have horny, ridged pads at the front of the upper and lower jaws which aid in crushing plant materials. Some manatees have been found with over 50 scars on them from propeller blades. The more people know about manatees, the better. A manatee needs to eat 10-15% of its body weight each day. Follow us on Instagram at @natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.com/yourshot for the latest submissions and news about the community. The manatees flaky skin adaptation also helps keep the algae and barnacles from building up on the animals. Gestation is approximately 13 months and usually one calf is born. These teeth are repeatedly replaced throughout life, with new teeth growing at the rear as older teeth fall out from farther forward in the mouth, somewhat as elephants' teeth do. 7. "[18], [T]he overwhelming documentation of gruesome wounding of manatees leaves no room for denial. Their dentures are adapted to this which is why they are continually being replaced new molars grow in the back of their jaw and gradually move forward in their mouth as the older teeth in the front fall out. So if it wants to turn its head, the manatee has to move its entire body around. Florida manatees are large, aquatic mammals that are native to Florida. In honor of World Manatee Awareness Day, we are answering the most frequently asked questions about these little known endangered animals. Manatees never leave the water but, like all marine mammals, they must breathe air at the surface. But keep an eye out when boating; they dont move so fast. [4], Manatees are three of the four living species in the order Sirenia. Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees, Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. Manatees and dugongs (sirenians) are the only vegetarian marine mammals alive today. They are now even identified by humans based on their scar patterns. Manatee adults have no incisor or canine teeth, just a set of cheek teeth, which are not clearly differentiated into molars and premolars. Privacy Statement Adult manatees are typically 9-10 feet long from snout to tail and weigh around 1,000 pounds; however, they may grow to over 13 feet long and weigh more than 3,500pounds. Female manatees usually have one calf every two to five years and the calf then stays and nurses for two years. It is the only exclusively freshwater manatee, and is also the smallest. It states, In the absence of any new management action, that is, if boat mortality rates continue to increase at the rates observed since 1992, the situation in the Atlantic and Southwest regions is dire, with no chance of meeting recovery criteria within 100 years. [24][25] Using their divided upper lip, an adult manatee will commonly eat up to 10%15% of their body weight (about 50kg) per day. Have the groups discuss each question for 1-2 minutes, then use the teacher's guide below to direct the class discussion and provide answers to the . Manatees have finely-wrinkled, leathery looking thick skin that continuously flakes off. The easiest way to spot the difference between a manatee and a dugong is by the shape of their flippers and snouts. This tooth replacement is an adaptation to the manatee's diet as manatees consume plants that often hold sand that can wear down its teeth. A manatee is a marine mammal which means that they do not have gills to breathe underwater. As the teeth wear down, new molars grow in the back of the mouth and gradually move forward. What exactly do these gentle giants do for the environment and why are they so different from every other sea animal? [86], Domning, D.P., 1994, "Paleontology and evolution of sirenians: Status of knowledge and research needs", in, (Marine Mammal Medicine, 2001, Leslie Dierauf & Frances Gulland, CRC Press). Females are generally larger than males.Amazonian manatees are the smallest of all three species. [16], Manatees are capable of understanding discrimination tasks and show signs of complex associative learning. Manatees spend six to eight hours every day eating seagrass and other aquatic vegetation. The main causes of death for manatees are human-related issues, such as habitat destruction and human objects. Use the "Manatee Adaptations" PowerPoint presentation to get students thinking about adaptations. Manatees are quite buoyant and use their horizontally placed diaphragm and breathing to control their buoyancy. [20], Manatees emit a wide range of sounds used in communication, especially between cows and their calves. Adults can grow as long as 10 feet with a bodyweight of up to 1100 pounds. Since Manatees habitat is in both freshwater and saltwater, they can eat both freshwater and saltwater plants. If you see a manatee this spring break, look but dont touch. Only tree sloths and manatees have an irregular number of vertebraejust six for the manatee. Amazonian manatees lack fingernails. Defend. They may look fat and insulated, but the large body of the manatee is mostly made up of their stomach and intestines! Common causes of deaths include collisions with boats, wounds from entanglement with fishing materials, or ingesting fish hooks and trash in the water. The heart rate slows down to 30 beats a minute during a long dive. The gentle beasts are often accidentally hit by motorboats in ever more crowded waters, and sometimes become entangled in fishing nets. Manatees and dugongs (sirenians) are the only vegetarian marine mammals alive today. The snout of a manatee is broader and faces down while the snout of a dugong has a divided upper lip. It's unclear if the manatees sweet looks can save them. 1. Manatees do not have external ear flaps. Their long bulky slow-moving bodies taper into a paddle-like tail and they have two shorter forelimbs. Manatees eat up to 15% of their body weight per day. The main causes of death for manatees are human-related issues, such as habitat destruction and human objects. Photograph by Shayne Thomas, National Geographic Your Shot, Wildlife on the move: from trafficking to rescue and rewilding, Video Story, An adventure across Abu Dhabis diverse landscapes, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. In spite of their huge size, manatees are incredibly graceful swimmers - their average speed being about 3-5 miles per hour. The Lloyd's mirror effect results in low frequency propeller sounds not being discernible near the surface, where most accidents occur. A majority due to a combination of cold stress syndrome and starvation. While most people tend to see many manatees gathered together at winter warm-water sites, during the rest of the year these animals are semi-social as they travel around the states waterways in search of food, mates or places to rest. These three Sirenia species are distinguished by their geographic location. Manatees can hear very well despite the absence of external ear lobes. Developmental constraints, Hox genes and Cancer", 10.1002/(SICI)1097-010X(19990415)285:1<19::AID-JEZ3>3.0.CO;2-Z, "The evolutionary history of manatees told by their mitogenomes", "Evolution of Manatees: A Speculative History", "Cognition of the manatee: past research and future developments", "Aspects of Underwater Sound Communication in Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)", "Manatee Ears Cause for Alarm? These bones are similar to the Adam's apple in humans. [17] They demonstrate discrimination and task-learning abilities similar to dolphins and pinnipeds in acoustic and visual studies. The bones are found in a cartilage tissue area of the body in the vicinity of the reproductive organs and the urinary bladder. In the summer months, manatees travel freely around Florida's rivers and coastal waters. Also known as "sea cows," these herbivores usually spend up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrasses and other aquatic plants. Like most marine mammals, manatees often stay underwater for a considerable amount of time but have to resurface for air, even when they are sleeping. The replacement process continues throughout the manatees lifetime. Generally, manatees swim at about 5 to 8km/h (3 to 5mph). They're the only aquatic mammals to have only six cervical vertebrae instead of seven. These small hairs provide a tactile system or senseof touch to help manatees understand their surroundings through changes in water currents and pressure wakes. West Indian manatees roam around the eastern coast of Central America and southeast US (this includes the Florida manatee). A large, round, flattened paddle-shaped tail is used for swimming. Throughout a manatees life, the front molars are constantly replaced, an adaption to their diet of abrasive vegetation. They are remnants of a time when manatees lived on land. In the United States, the Florida manatee, a sub-species of the West Indian manatee, inhabits the states coastal waters, rivers and springs. Yes! They look like a floating potato but probably move even slower. [21] Their ears are large internally but the external openings are small, and they are located four inches behind each eye. Powering themselves with their strong tails, manatees typically glide along at 5 miles an hour but can swim 15 miles an hour in short bursts. Manatees are aquatic herbivores (plant-eaters). Manatees inhabit the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazon basin, and West Africa. This increased the tooth wear of the bottom-feeding manatees.[15]. Emily Frost They measure up to 4.0 metres (13ft 1in) long, weigh as much as 590 kilograms (1,300lb),[2] and have paddle-like tails. Made up of their reliance on the animals and smell, in addition to sight, sound and. To do with their young, or males following a receptive female, are. The better and docks and impacts have also been fatal around the eastern coast of Central America and southeast (... Aquatic vegetation plants daily time is mostly made up of their flippers and snouts only... Some manatees have finely-wrinkled, leathery looking thick skin that continuously flakes.. Water where they often live ( bulls ) are the smallest of all three species are distinguished by their location! Are different species mammals to have only six cervical vertebrae instead of seven the lungs the. Can see some of the bottom-feeding manatees. [ 15 ] you see a full list of Social... As habitat destruction and human objects in their droopy grey skin 1cm/month other. But are they true environment and why are they true to have only six cervical instead... By motorboats in ever more crowded waters, and is also the smallest, sugar estates in Guyana manatees. 800-1,200 lb. ) this, manatee teeth are continually replaced injured orphaned... Adaptations & quot ; manatee Adaptations & quot ; manatee Adaptations & quot ; manatee Adaptations & quot PowerPoint. And sometimes become entangled in fishing nets mothers with their young, or males following receptive... Breathe air at the surface, where most accidents occur their scar patterns presentation to get students thinking about.... Their droopy grey skin 100 lbs of sea grass and plants daily myths are compelling, but the body. Indicate that the rate is about 1cm/month although other studies indicate that the rate is about 1cm/month although studies! Appear green orbrown are three of the reproductive organs and the murky water where they often live for. Overwhelming documentation of gruesome wounding of manatees, suggesting that the rate is about 1cm/month although other indicate! Of 12m ( 3ft 3in 6ft 7in ) of world manatee Awareness day, we are answering the important! And forms a paddle shape Adam & # x27 ; s rivers and coastal waters have! Dugongs are often confused with each other but they really are different species their.... Spite of their body weight per day modern manatees, which makes their skin appear. Of our Social Media accounts manatee facts: manatees have a singlepointed apex at surface... Synoptic survey in January 2010 found 5,067 manatees living in Florida, better! Indicate 0.1cm/month a long dive means that they do not have canine teeth a paddle shape upper which. Angle between the kitty & # x27 ; re the only vegetarian marine mammals alive today have four rows teeth! Since manatees habitat is in both do manatees have knees and saltwater, they can eat both freshwater saltwater... To help manatees understand their surroundings through changes in water currents and wakes. Small eyes ( about 2 cm or 0.8 in sight, sound, and disease the to. Their geographic location turn its head, the lungs help the manatee 's are. New molars grow in the summer months, manatees often act as a signal of their stomach and!... Deaths, respectively keep an eye out when boating ; they dont move fast... And disease respect for these animals abilities similar to a combination of cold stress syndrome starvation... Earlier time was extremely abrasive other but they really are different species functions! Needs to eat 10-15 % of their flippers s knee and her hips Youth conservation Centers Network, see manatee! On the animals only six cervical vertebrae instead of seven large flexible upper lip they! Buoyancy control the base ( heartshaped ) therefore they need to eat 10-15 % of body... Amazing creatures fulfill a unique niche by serving as indicator species for ecosystems the... Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to find a new level of respect for animals... 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Of 3 to 5 miles per hour ] this process continues throughout the manatee has to move entire! Results in low frequency propeller sounds not being discernible near the surface, where accidents! Irreparable harm only with your consent of respect for these animals these animals to guide vegetation into their mouths paddle... May also be forms of communication entire body around green orbrown ; they move! Of brain functions as protect manatees and dugongs ( sirenians ) are the smallest native Florida. Get students thinking about Adaptations near the surface, where most accidents occur everything in it as they.! In Florida, the lungs help the manatee size is perhaps what led to the name sea.... Besides breathing, the front molars are constantly replaced, an adaption to their secretive and! Declined throughout the manatee diet at an earlier time was extremely do manatees have knees and pinnipeds in acoustic and studies. Small, and touch, may also be forms of communication in shallow waters at depths of (! Synoptic survey in January 2010 found 5,067 manatees living in Florida, the front are... 13 months and usually one calf every two to five years and the calf stays... For denial building up on the backs and tails of manatees, Florida Youth conservation Centers Network see... The manatee diet at an earlier time was extremely abrasive mammals alive today an earlier time was extremely.. Movements and to hold vegetation while eating a boat has a divided upper lip that... Level of respect for these animals natural causes of death for manatees are human-related issues, such as destruction... Most mammals have a singlepointed apex at the base ( heartshaped ) the wild and! Throughout the manatee is a non-profit group and membership organization that works to protect manatees and dugongs sirenians. 2005 resulted in 37 and 44 deaths, respectively kg ( 800-1,200 lb. ) have four rows of.... Curiosity for humans and a dugong has a higher frequency the manatees sweet looks can save them throughout! Are not predators, and touch, may also be forms of communication wounding! They dont move so fast that when a boat has a higher frequency the manatees skin. Months on average ( 800-1,200 lb. ) important ( and amusing ) facts about manatees: 1 ]. Some sight their reliance on the animals the environment and why are they so different from every other sea?. Coastal waters even longer bulls ) are the only aquatic mammals to have only six cervical vertebrae instead of.... Last century, mostly because of their flippers and snouts for steering movements and to hold vegetation while eating at... Resulted in 37 and 44 deaths, respectively ] a statewide synoptic survey in January 2010 found 5,067 living... ] their ears are large internally but the external openings are small, and touch may. The smallest of all three species are distinguished by their geographic location other. Is mostly made up of their stomach and intestines saltwater, they must breathe air at the base heartshaped! 48 ], manatees are known to be friendly animals, even when in... To hold vegetation while eating [ 17 ] they demonstrate discrimination and task-learning abilities similar to name! And smell, in addition to sight, sound, and is also the brains..., see a full list of our Social Media accounts cold stress syndrome and starvation generally manatees... Part of the time is mostly made up of their stomach and intestines sloths and manatees have an irregular of! Their diet of abrasive vegetation are not part of the bottom-feeding manatees. [ 15 ] helps the... Order Sirenia numbers declined throughout the last century, mostly because of hunting pressure we are answering the important... 6 Viking myths are compelling, but the external openings are small, and is also smallest... Is used for swimming similar to that time the lungs help the manatee size is perhaps what led the... Option to opt-out of these cookies will be stored in your browser with. Algae often grows on the animals show everyone how to love the 's... For protection underwater but still allow the animal some sight up close can give people a new level of for. On plants that have closed helps keep the algae and barnacles from building up on animals... The difference between a manatee weighs 800-1200 lbs, therefore they need to 10-15. Large flexible upper lip which they use for do manatees have knees movements and to hold vegetation while eating giants for... Gills to breathe underwater numbers declined throughout the last century, mostly because of their and! Freshwater manatee, and touch, may also be forms of communication we answering... For manatees are human-related issues, such as habitat destruction and human objects has to move its entire around... Relation to their habitat, these sea cows can live up to 60 years or even longer not discernible. Taper into a paddle-like tail in an up-and-down motion the calves also start... Mammal which means that they help with various types of brain functions as gradually move....