Creature Feature – Manatee
Often nicknamed “sea cows”, manatees spend much of their lives gently grazing on seagrass. There are several species, including the West African Manatee, West Indian Manatee, and Amazonian Manatee.
Graceful and slow-moving, manatees are found in both coastal waters and rivers. Using their powerful, paddle-like tails, they usually glide at around 5 miles per hour, though they can surge up to 15 miles per hour in short bursts. Manatees are seen alone, in pairs, or in small groups. They never leave the water, but, like all marine mammals, they must surface regularly to breathe air.
Manatee or Dugong?
Manatees and dugongs are close relatives within the order Sirenia, and while they look and behave alike, there are key differences. The most noticeable is in their tails:
- Manatees have broad, paddle-shaped tails
- Dugongs have fluked tails, similar in shape to a whale
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Sirenia
Family: Trichechidae
Manatee Fact File
Size: Up to 4 metres
Distribution: Found in warm coastal waters and rivers across the Americas, Africa, and parts of Australia
Diet: Herbivorous, feeding mainly on seagrass
Behaviour: Can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, but usually surface every few minutes for air
IUCN Status: Varies by species
