What are the kinds and sizes of manatee boat scars? Are any scars curable, or do they stay on the manatees forever?
A. Many manatees have “skeg” marks. A skeg is part of a motor on the boat. It extends slightly below the propeller and can sometimes come in contact with the manatee without the propeller making contact, creating a single longitudinal gash. When a manatee gets hit by a boat propeller, it also creates prop wounds which take the form of a parallel series of slash marks. If the injury is deep enough, it can be seen on the manatee forever. If the injury is superficial, it will still be there, but you wouldn’t be able to see it unless you got very close as skin would grow on top of it.
