Chuck Ripper: Amazonian Manatee

Artist: Chuck Ripper
1929 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1992
Image Size: 12.5 by 14.5 inches
Overall Size: 15 by 17.75 inches
Medium: Gouche Water Color on Masonite

It seems incredible that sailors once mistook manatees for mermaids. These sea mammals bear little resemblance to beautiful women. Not only are manatees ugly, in an endearing sort of way, but they grow much larger than people. Some attain lengths of 13 feet and weigh nearly 2,000 pounds. There are three species of manatee. Caribbean Manatees are found in Florida, the waters of the Caribbean, southern Mexico and northern Brazil. West African Manatees frequent the rivers of tropical West Africa. And Amazonian Manatees inhabit rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco drainages. All three species face extinction. Unfortunately, these lovable and docile "sea cows" provide easy prey for hunters in search of meat, hides and oil. Power boats take their toll as well. Dozens of manatees are injured and killed each year by propellers. Scientists believe manatees descended from the same ancestor as the elephants. Like elephants, manatees exist exclusively on vegetation -- the only aquatic mammals to do so. They spend much of their day browsing in shallow water on sea grasses, algae and water weeds. Every 24 hours an individual manatee consumes one pound of food for every 10 pounds of its body weight. A man weighing 160 pounds would have to eat 16 pounds of salad to match a manatee's appetite.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the U.N. 80fs Amazonian Manatee stamp issued March 3, 1993.

Artwork Copyright © 1992 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB14178

US$ Price: $2,700.00

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