How Do Manatees Adapt for Survival?

Manatees are large, bulky marine animals that live in the ocean. While they are currently an endangered species due to hunting, manatees do, in fact, have many adaptations that allow them to survive efficiently in their natural environment. These adaptations range from the physical to the social and behavioural, and incorporate a great deal of intelligence and specialized movements.

  1. Food Adaptations

    • Manatees have many adaptations that allow them to harvest the food they need from an often scarce environment. To make the most of their available vegetation, manatees feed everywhere between and including the water´s surface and the floor of the ocean. Flexible front flippers and long, maneuverable lips allow them to access various kinds of vegetation--even on branches above water or plants along water banks.

    Aquatic Adaptations

    • Manatees have a highly contoured, seal-like body that allows them to glide through the water with ease. Their powerful, flat tail is their main source of propulsion, allowing them to reach speeds of 15 miles per hour, despite their large bulk. Two short forearms with fingers allow them to navigate in shallow environments, where they find much of their food.

    Sensory Adaptations

    • Their two most important sensory adaptations involve hearing and sight. Manatees have adapted superior hearing abilities with an abnormally high reception to low-frequency sounds. Good hearing is important for communication and is especially helpful between calf and mother. Eyesight is well developed in order to avoid silent predators as well as to spot food from a distance.

    Intelligence Adaptations

    • Manatees have evolved to become some of the most intelligent animals in the ocean, allowing them to effectively communicate with each other, take good care of their young and avoid danger. Manatees are capable of sophisticated verbal communication. They make a variety of distinct noises during play, sexual encounters and for alarm. Similar to dolphins, manatees have a highly developed long-term memory, allowing them to increase their foraging efficiency over time and aiding them in avoiding danger zones.

    Other Adaptations

    • Some additional adaptations of the manatee involve breathing and metabolism. During periods of rest, manatees are able to go periods of up to 20 minutes without surfacing for breath. These rest periods are very frequent, in order to conserve energy and to maintain a low metabolism. This latter characteristic is key during dry seasons or in situations of scarce food, where the manatee must eat little or even fast for a period of months.