Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 10

Manatees seen playing at Crystal River, Florida

Greetings! Manatee season has just ended here in Florida. But that’s not to stop me from continuing the awesome manatee fun! Here’s a quick rundown on 11 marvelous manatee facts!

The manatee is the wonderful gentle giant of the ocean. Thanks to all of the conservation efforts over the years, the West Indian manatee — that’s the one you see in Florida (yours truly) — was removed in March 2017 from the endangered species list to the threatened species list. Now take a look at some of the cool and little-known facts about our unique species and others in the manatee family.

  1. Three manatee species

Today there are three manatee species found in the world: the Amazonian Manatee, the West African Manatee, the West Indian Manatee.

  • Bigger than you might think

Manatees can reach up to 13 feet long (depending on the species) and weigh up to 3,500 pounds. In rare instances, the Florida manatee can actually grow this large!

  • Plant eaters of the sea

Manatees are herbivores, and their diet is made up of plant matter. One of their favorite things to eat is seagrass.

  • “Moo”-na-tee!

The sea cow is also a name for a manatee because both the cow and the manatee are large and are herbivores.

  • Copious chompers

Manatees have four rows of teeth (all molars), which include about 24 to 32 teeth total. They lose and replace these teeth often because the sand wears them down as they eat plants. When lose their front teeth, the teeth in the back move forward and replace them. This is known as “marching molars!”

  • Lots of family time for Mom and Calf

Mother manatees are pregnant for about a year. Once the calf is born directly into the water — it takes approximately two years for it to be on his or her own.

  • Never really in a rush

The majority of the time, manatees only move at 2 to 5 miles per hour. However, they can reach up to 20 miles per hour if needed.

  • Over a century of protection

Officials have been trying to protect manatees for a long time. The first laws to protect them in the United States were passed in 1893 in Florida. At one time, there were only about 1,000 Florida manatees alive, but now there are more than 6,000! Conservation efforts are helping, however more needs to be done to save the manatee.

  • Lengthy lungs

The lungs of a manatee can stretch almost the entire length of their body. And a manatee can replace 90 percent of the air in its lungs as compared to a human who can replace only 10 percent. 

10.  Manatees love warm springs

Since manatees are warm-blooded and need water temperatures of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit, during winter and when water temperatures are cooler, manatees will gather in groups as they seek out warm-water sources. These warm-water spots are typically warm-water discharges from power plants and natural springs.

11.  Any type of water will do just fine

Manatees are often found in shallow water and it is very common for them to move between fresh water and salt water.

Stay tuned for more manatee knowledge challenges in my future blogs!

If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC. They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.

Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …

www.savethemanatee.org

Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …

www.wildtracks.org

~ Kobee Manatee

Related Posts

Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 1 (October 3, 2019)

Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 2 (October 16, 2019)

Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 3 (October 28, 2019)

Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 4 (November 21, 2019)

Manatee Facts – Knowledge Challenge 5 (December 4, 2019)