Manatees, often called "sea cows," are large, slow-moving marine mammals known for their gentle nature. Found in warm coastal waters and rivers, they play an important role in maintaining healthy seagrass and freshwater plant ecosystems.
Here are some verified facts about these gentle giants, from their surprising ancestry to the threats they face today.
Manatees belong to the order Sirenia, which also includes the dugong and the now-extinct Steller's sea cow.
There are three living manatee species: the West Indian manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the West African manatee.
The West Indian manatee lives in the southeastern United States (mainly Florida), the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America.
The Amazonian manatee lives only in freshwater habitats of the Amazon River basin, while the West African manatee inhabits coastal waters and rivers along the west coast of Africa.
Manatees can grow up to about 13 feet long and weigh as much as 1,300 pounds.
Manatees have a broad, paddle-shaped tail and mostly gray skin, sometimes with a brownish or greenish tinge from algae growth.
Manatees are herbivores that graze on seagrasses and other aquatic plants, eating roughly 10-15% of their body weight in vegetation each day.
Manatees are mammals and must surface to breathe, typically every three to five minutes, though they can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes while resting.
Manatees have a slow reproductive rate: females usually give birth to a single calf every two to five years after a gestation period of about 12 months.
Manatees are mostly solitary but sometimes gather in small groups, communicating with squeaks and chirps.
The biggest threats to manatees are human-related, including boat strikes, habitat loss, entanglement in fishing gear, and cold-stress from loss of warm-water habitat.
The West Indian manatee is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, with the Antillean subspecies classified as endangered.
In the United States, manatees are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Manatees have no natural predators; nearly all of their threats come from human activity.
Manatees can live 50 to 60 years in the wild.
Manatees share a distant common ancestor with elephants, and both have similarly flexible, sensitive upper lips used to grasp food.
While manatees usually cruise at just 3 to 5 miles per hour, they can reach bursts of up to 15-20 miles per hour over short distances when startled.
Manatees have small eyes and relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and touch to sense their surroundings.
The nickname "sea cow" comes from the manatee's grazing habits on seagrass, similar to how cattle graze on land, combined with their bulky, slow-moving bodies.
We write every article to be genuinely fun — and genuinely true. Each fact is checked against reputable sources before it goes live. Spotted something off? Tell us and read our fact-check policy.
Animal FactsDiscover verified facts about birds: the fastest flyer, the tiniest species, the oldest parrot on record, and how these feathered dinosaurs took to the sky.
Animal FactsDiscover 18 fascinating, fact-checked facts about penguins - from flightless swimmers to salt glands, tuxedo camouflage, and record-breaking dives.
Animal FactsDiscover fascinating, verified facts about lobsters — from their claws and molting to record-breaking size and how they really communicate.
Animal FactsDiscover verified facts about elephants: their size, intelligence, memory, communication, and record-breaking 22-month pregnancy.