Chuck Ripper (American, B. 1929) "Amazonian Manatee" Signed lower left. Original Gouache painting on Masonite.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

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

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.

Image Size: 14.5 x 12.5 in.
Overall Size: 17.75 x 15 in.
Unframed.
(B14178)

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