Description: West Indian manatees are large, gray aquatic
mammals with bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They have two
forelimbs, called flippers, with three to four nails. Their head and face are
wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee's closest land relatives are
the elephant and the hyrax, a small, gopher-sized mammal. Manatees are believed
to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal. The West Indian manatee is
related to the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the dugong, and to
the Steller's sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in 1768. The average
adult manatee is about three meters (9.8 feet) long and weighs between 362-544
kilograms (800-1,200 pounds).
Habitat and Range: Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving
rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals and coastal areas. Manatees are a
migratory species. Within the United States, West Indian manatees are
concentrated in Florida in the winter, but they can be found in summer months
as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia. However, these sightings are
rare. Summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are common. West
Indian manatees can also be found in the coastal and inland waterways of
Central America and along the northern coast of South America, although
distribution in these areas may be spotty.
Behavior: Manatees are gentle and slow-moving. Most of their
time is spent eating, resting, and in travel. Manatees are completely
herbivorous. They eat aquatic plants and can consume 10-15% of their body
weight daily in vegetation. They graze for food along water bottoms and on the
surface. They may rest submerged at the bottom or just below the surface,
coming up to breathe on the average of every three to five minutes. When
manatees are using a great deal of energy, they may surface to breathe as often
as every 30 seconds. When resting, manatees have been known to stay submerged
for up to 20 minutes.
Lifespan, Mortality, Population: West Indian manatees have no natural enemies, and
it is believed they can live 60 years or more. Many manatee mortalities are
human-related. Most human-related manatee mortalities occur from collisions
with watercraft. Other causes of human-related manatee mortalities include
being crushed and/or drowned in canal locks and flood control structures;
ingestion of fish hooks, litter and monofilament line; entanglement in crab
trap lines; and vandalism. Ultimately, however, loss of habitat is the most
serious threat facing manatees today. There are approximately 3,000 West Indian
manatees left in the United States.
Breeding and Reproduction: The reproductive rate for manatees is slow. Female
manatees are not sexually mature until about five years of age, and males are
mature at approximately nine years of age. On average, one calf is born every
two to five years, and twins are rare. The gestation period is about a year.
Mothers nurse their young for one to two years, so a calf may remain dependent
on its mother during that time.
Legal Protection: West Indian manatees in the United States are
protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture,
or kill any marine mammal. West Indian manatees are also protected by the
Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 which states: "It is unlawful for
any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest,
harass, or disturb any manatee." Anyone convicted of violating Florida's
state law faces a possible maximum fine of $500 and/or imprisonment for up to
60 days. Conviction on the federal level is punishable by a fine of up to
$100,000 and/or one year in prison.
Fossil remains of manatee ancestors show they have inhabited Florida for about 45 million years. Modern manatees have been in Florida for over one million years (probably with intermittent absences during the Ice Ages); i.e., a lot longer than people have lived here. The present Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is a subspecies endemic to Florida. Genetic studies to date indicate that it is not derived from the populations in Mexico or Central America, but more likely colonized Florida from the Greater Antilles thousands of years ago, after the last Ice Age. However, there is no evidence that manatees are now entering Florida from Central America, the Caribbean, or anywhere else. The manatees in Florida today have every right to be considered Florida natives.
Florida manatees are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems of the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish or salt water. Manatees prefer waters that are about one to two meters (3-7 feet) deep. Along the coast, manatees tend to travel in water that is about three to five meters (10-16 feet) deep, and they are rarely seen in areas over six meters (20 feet) deep. This habitat provides them with sheltered living and breeding areas, a steady, easily obtainable food supply and warm water -- all of which they need to survive.
To See Manatees Living In The Wild:
There are lots of places in Florida to observe manatees. In the winter when the weather is cooler, generally November through March, you might be able to see manatees in the wild, clustered around warm water sources.
Florida's East Coast:
Blue Spring State Park
Orange City, FL (between Orlando and Daytona Beach)
(386) 775-3663
http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring
See the Blue Spring
manatees in SMC's Adopt-A-Manatee program
Florida Power and Light Co.
Manatee Observation Center
(usually open January 2 through February 28)
Riviera Beach, FL
(800) 552-8440
http://www.fpl.com (choose Our
Environment and then Endangered Species)
Florida's West
Coast:
Tampa Electric Company
Manatee Viewing Center
(open December through March)
Apollo Beach, FL
(813) 228-4289 for an information recording
http://www.tampaelectric.com (choose
Environmental, then Manatee Viewing Center)
Lee County Manatee Park
(open year-round)
Ft. Myers, FL
(941) 694-3537
http://www.leeparks.org (choose
Parks, then Regional Parks, and then Manatee Park)
To See Manatees Living In Captivity:
If the weather is warmer, manatees are more widely dispersed. Some manatees even range as far north as Virginia and as far west as Texas during the summer months, but these sightings are rare. From April through October, you will probably only be able to see them at captive facilities. Save the Manatee Club recommend the following facilities:
Florida's West
Coast:
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Homosassa, FL (75 miles north of Tampa)
(352) 628-5343
http://www.HomosassaSprings.org
See the Homosassa
Springs manatees in SMC's Adopt-A-Manatee program
Lowry Park Zoo
Tampa, FL
(813) 935-8552
http://www.lowryparkzoo.com
Central Florida:
SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, FL
(407) 351-3600
http://www.seaworld.com (choose
SeaWorld Orlando, Attractions, Animal Attractions, and then Manatees)
The Living Seas at Epcot/Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, FL
(407) 824-4321
http://www.disney.com (search for
The Living Seas)
Florida's East
Coast:
Miami Seaquarium
Miami, FL
(305) 361-5705
http://miamiseaquarium.com
To See Manatees Outside of Florida:
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Powell, Ohio
(614) 645-3400
http://www.colszoo.org
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Cincinnati, Ohio
(513) 281-4700
http://www.cincyzoo.org
SeaWorld SanDiego
San Diego, CA 92109
(619) 222-6363
http://www.seaworld.com (choose
SeaWorld San Diego, Attractions, Animal Attractions, and then Manatee Rescue)