Fun Manatee Facts
Kobee wants you to know these fun manatee facts…
Kobee says...
– A manatee can eat one tenth of its own weight in just 24 hours; that’s like a 50 lb. eight year old eating 10 Big Macs. Another example: I, Kobee Manatee, weigh 1,000 pounds. So each day I eat the equivalent of 100 heads of iceberg lettuce!
– Manatees are herbivores and eat only plants.
– Manatees can live more than 60 years.
– Manatees usually swim at about 5 miles/hour, but can go as fast as 20 miles/hour in short bursts. That’s about as fast as most people can ride on a bicycle.
– Manatees do not have eyelashes.
– A manatee is related to the elephant!.
– Manatees are warm-blooded and need water temperatures of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit or they could die from cold stress!
– Manatees are marine mammals and need to surface for air every 3 to 5 minutes. However, when they sleep, they surface for air every 20 minutes!
– In Summer, when the water is warm, some Florida manatees will travel as far west as Texas, or as far north as Massachusetts! That’s a long trip. Hopefully, they pack lots of manatee books!
– Manatees continually replace their teeth. This is known as “marching molars!”
– The female manatee is usually larger than the male manatee.
– The largest Florida manatee on record was 13 feet long and 3,500 lbs.
– Manatee vocalizations — such as chirps, whistles, or squeaks — are used to maintain contact, especially between a mother and calf, and when they are feeding or traveling in cloudy water.
To learn more about manatees, please visit:
Manatee Observation & Education Center
