Differences Between Turtles & Manatees

Manatees and sea turtles are both creatures that live in warm waters and are either endangered or threatened. When studying these aquatic animals, it is obvious that despite a few similarities, they share little in common. Not only are they dissimilar in their appearance, but manatees and sea turtles are also two different classes of animal.

  1. Classification

    • Sea turtles are classified as reptiles and belong to the order testudines. They include seven different species. Manatees, unlike sea turtles, are mammals and belong to the order sirenia. There are three species of manatee, with one of them divided into two sub-species.

    Water Consumption and Environment

    • While sea turtles live in saltwater environments exclusively, manatees require occasional fresh water and must drink it approximately every one to two weeks. West Indian and African manatees can travel from fresh to salt waters without concern. Amazonian manatees are restricted to fresh water locations only. While manatees get their water from both drinking and plant consumption, sea turtles get enough water when eating plants.

    Size and Eating Habits

    • According to the book "Face to Face with Manatees," adult manatees can grow to be up to 13 feet in length and can weigh up to 1300 lbs. or more. They are primarily plant-eating animals, but upon occasion, they may consume fish or mollusks while in the process of eating plant life. Manatees take about eight hours to eat up to one-eighth of their body-weight in food. The size and eating habits of sea turtles varies depending on the species. Certain species will eat both plant and animal life, while others are either carnivorous or herbivores. SeaWorld Busch Gardens notes that the largest sea turtle is the leatherback, which reaches 6.2 feet and can weigh up to 116 lbs. It also claims the smallest is the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, which reaches 30 inches and weighs up to 110 lbs.

    Reproduction Differences

    • Female manatees are sexually mature by the time they are 5 years old, while the male manatee reaches sexual maturity by 9 or 10 years old. The cow, or female manatee, gives birth to one calf after a 12-month gestation period. The calf will stay close to its mother for two years. Manatees give birth every two to five years. Sexual maturity for sea turtles depends on the species. This can occur as early as three years for some species and as late as 20 or 50 years for another. Females go ashore to lay several clutches of eggs, which it leaves hidden in cavities that they make in the sand. She will lay between 50 to 200 eggs per clutch, which take 45 to 70 days to incubate. Unlike the manatee calf, which stays with its mother, sea turtle hatchlings are born without the presence of its parents and must make its way to the water alone. Female sea turtles nest every two to three years and will return to the same shore where they were born.