What do manatees eat?

Manatees are mostly herbivorous and eat over 60 different freshwater and saltwater plants.

Where are manatees found?

They inhabit shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazon basin, and West Africa.

How large can manatees get?

They can measure up to about 4.0 metres long and weigh as much as 590 kilograms.

Why do manatees get boat injuries?

Their slow-moving, curious nature makes them vulnerable to violent collisions with propeller-driven boats and ships; some individuals have many propeller scars.

How many species of manatee exist?

There are three accepted living species within the genus Trichechus: the Amazonian, West Indian, and West African manatees.

Do manatees live in fresh or salt water?

Manatees inhabit both freshwater and saltwater environments, including rivers and coastal marshes.

Can predators kill manatees?

Predation by crocodiles can occur on young manatees.

Where to See Manatee While Diving

Q: What threatens manatees?

Main threats include human-related factors such as habitat destruction and collisions with propeller-driven boats and ships; natural threats include adverse temperatures, disease, and crocodile predation on young.

Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals in the family Trichechidae. Three accepted living species are the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). They can reach about 4.0 metres in length and weigh up to 590 kilograms, and they have paddle-like tails. Manatees feed on freshwater and saltwater plants (over 60 species recorded) and inhabit shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers in regions including the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazon basin, and West Africa. Major causes of death are human-related, notably habitat destruction and collisions with propeller-driven boats and ships; natural causes include adverse temperatures, disease, and predation by crocodiles on young.

Commonly cited pressures include Habitat destruction and Boat and ship collisions.

Herbivorous; consumes over 60 different freshwater and saltwater plants.

The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Bayahibe and Dominicus, Caye Caulker, Halkidiki and Thassos and countries such as United States of America, Croatia, Dominican Republic for divers building trips around manatees.