In the past, manatees and dugongs have been hunted by explores, settlers, and traders for their tasty meat and for their tough skins which were made to make boat covers, shoes, and other heavy duty articles. The animals were also slaughtered for their fat. Their bones and tusks were used for carvings. Hunters killed manatees and dugongs by trapping them in nets or stick fences which were placed across rivers. Today, hunting these animals is against the law in most countries that you have colored on your map where manatees and dugongs live. Unfortunately, many people break the law and kill these gentle animals for food. Once there were thousands of manatees and dugongs living peacefully throughout the worked. Sadly, it is very different now. All four of these species are endangered. That means there are seriously few of the animals left and the species is in danger of becoming extinct and dying out completely.