What Species of Manatee Lives in Florida?

Manatees are large, vegetarian sea mammals that are found in warm, shallow coastal waters. Globally, three species of manatee exist: the West African, West Indian and the Amazonian. The manatees found in the coastal waters of Florida are a sub-species of the West Indian variety and are known as the Florida manatee. The Australian dugong is also similar in appearance to the manatee and is a distant cousin.

  1. Description

    • The Florida manatee is a large marine mammal with a seal-shaped body. Adults grow to between 10 and 12 feet in length and weigh upwards of 2,200 lbs. The manatees have thick, wrinkled skin, which is gray to grayish brown in color with sparse coarse hairs. They use a powerful, flat tail to propel themselves through the water. The only parts of a manatee's body generally seen above the water are its nose, through which it breathes, and its tail.

    Range and Habitat

    • Florida manatees are found in the warm, shallow waters off of Florida's coast. With around 3,000 manatees, the Florida coast population of manatees is the largest in the world. During the summer months manatees can be found farther north, off the coast of the Carolinas and to the west near Louisiana and Texas. In rare cases, the species has been recorded as far north as New York and Rhode Island.

    Diet and Predators

    • The manatee is also known as the sea cow and as that name would suggest they are grazing herbivores. They feed on a wide range of sea grasses, underwater plants, algae and other floating vegetation. It is a slow-moving species, which generally rests when not eating. In Florida's waters the only real danger to manatees is man, with risks from power boats and illegal hunting. Young manatees can be at risk from alligators, crocodiles and sharks.

    Life Cycle

    • Male manatees reach mating age at around 2 to 3 years old, with females maturing later at between 3 to 5 years old. In the warm coastal waters, breeding can take place year round with the average pregnancy lasting around a year. Only one manatee calf is born which, at around 3 to 4 feet long and weighing up to 70 lbs., is large from the start. Once the manatees grow too large for predators, they can live to between 50 and 60 years.