Things about manatees you likely didn’t know

Published 8:00 am Monday, July 1, 2019

By Staff Reports

The average, adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs about 1000 pounds. They can reach up to 13 feet in length and weigh up to 3,000 pounds.

Manatees emit sound under the water and can be heard by humans while underwater. They make these sounds when they are frightened, or interacting with another manatee and with their babies.

Manatees are very gentle, slow-moving, graceful swimmers. They eat aquatic plants and can consume 10-15% of their body weight daily.

Manatees come to the surface to breathe on average every three to five minutes. When they are sleeping they may only take a breath every 20 minutes.

Manatee have no natural enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. Many manatee deaths are human-related. Most often when manatees and watercraft collide.



Loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing manatees.