What Are the Three Species of Manatees?

Manatees are large marine animals with blubbery bodies and paddle-like tails and flippers that propel them through the shallow waters of the Caribbean, Amazon Basin and West Africa. Their heads and snouts are blunted, making them resemble walruses without tusks. The word "manatee" comes from the Taino and pre-Columbian language. Manatees are also called sea cows.

  1. The Amazonian Manatee

    • Unlike the West Indian manatee, these manatees never inhabit salt water. The Amazonian Manatee, an endangered species as of 2011, is found swimming in fresh water in the Amazon river basin. It is the smallest of the three manatee species and has smooth skin with a pink or white patch on its belly. Breeding depends upon the weather. When rivers flood, Amazonian manatees mate. When the water recedes, they are sometimes caught on land.

    The West African Manatee

    • West African manatees spend most of their days drifting through the warm waters of West African lagoons and fresh water lakes. Unlike the Amazonian manatee, this species is not endangered, though it is classified as "vulnerable." Hair sprouts on sporadic parts of their bodies and they can weigh up to 1,000 lbs. West African manatees feed on abrasive plants and as a result, their teeth are constantly being worn down. Fortunately, they grow new teeth throughout their lives.

    The West Indian Manatee

    • The West Indian manatee roams rivers and coastal regions of the tropical and subtropical climates of the southeastern United States coast, Central America, the West Indies and the northern coast of South America. It is able to live in salt water, but sensitive to cold and can die from a sudden drop in water temperature. This manatee is notoriously slow and was once hunted for food. It is now protected as an endangered species as of 2011.

    Hybrids

    • According to to a National Library of Medicine report in 2006, hybrid manatees, a combination of the West Indian and the Amazonian manatee, exist. A 1984 grant request to study manatees states that in 1964, nine West Indian manatees and one Amazonian manatee were relocated to the Panama Canal watershed as part of a program to control aquatic vegetation. These two species were left in the region and began to reproduce, creating the cross between the West Indian and Amazonian manatee.