I really don’t have any enemies to speak of. Even sharks won’t bother me! However there’s one nightmare I have to deal with from time to time. It’s called red tide.

Red tide is made up of microscopic water plants (algae). These algae can start growing out of control in the water where I swim. Scientists call the red tide organism Karenia brevis. It can kill hundreds of us manatees in a very short period of time. How? The red tide toxins attach to the seagrass we eat. They can also get into the air we breathe. Once inside, they affect our nervous system and we drown.

My friend Robert wrote more on this topic in case you missed it: Red Tide: A Manatee Nightmare

It’s good to have friends!

~Kobee