Manatees can probably hear which directions boats approach from

The world is a perilous place for the endangered manatee. While the mammals are at risk from natural threats, human activity also poses a great danger to manatee numbers. Debborah Colbert, from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, explains that many manatees die and are seriously injured in collisions with boats every year. However, little is known about how manatees perceive their environment. Whether they can localise sounds, and specifically whether they can tell which direction a boat is approaching from, are crucial factors in the development of manatee protection programmes...

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