Manatee Basics
Common Name:
Florida Manatee
Scientific Name:
Trichechus manatus latirostris
Status:
Endangered (federal and state)
Range:
Throughout Florida (the summer months into southeastern states)
Maximum Census:
3,300 counted in 2001
History:
Native species found in fossil record and recorded by earliest explorers
Diet:
Freshwater and marine species of plants
Reproduction:
Breed year-round; most calves born in spring; mature female can produce one calf approximately every three years
Life Span:
Can live over 50 years, but this is rare
Unusual Fact:
Age determined by examination of a thin cross section of the earbone of dead manatees, and counting growth layers, similar to counting rings in a tree
A CLOSER LOOK
Adult manatees average 8–10 feet in length and weigh around 1,000 pounds. The largest manatees may reach 14 feet in length and weigh over 3,500 pounds. Adults are gray in color, with sparse hairs distributed over much of the body. Stiff whiskers (vibrissae) grow around the face and lips. Algae growing on the skin may make them appear green or brown. Manatees that live in saltwater may also have barnacles growing on their skin. Despite their large size, manatees can be difficult to see in the wild because of their color and behavior. Manatees eat a variety of marine and aquatic plants and are often seen near natural or artificial freshwater sources.
During periods of cold weather, manatees aggregate, or gather, in waters warmer than 68° F. This warm water may be in south Florida or may be from an artesian spring or industrial discharge. Manatees mate year-round; however, most calves are born in the spring. Gestation lasts approximately 13 months and results in the birth of a calf (rarely twins) measuring 3–5 feet in length. The calves remain with their mothers for up to two years.
There are a variety of threats to manatees. They may die from exposure to harmful algal blooms (red tide), the effects of cold water, and disease. Human-related causes of death include collisions with watercraft, crushing in water control gates and boat locks, and entanglement in fishing gear. Manatee habitat loss or degradation, including future changes in artificial warm-water refuges and reductions in natural spring flows used as refuges, is also of concern.
Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are credited to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
