Manatee Fun Facts

Manatees are fascinating and endearing marine mammals that captivate the hearts of many, known for their slow, peaceful demeanor. Here are 10 manatee fun facts to deepen your appreciation for these lovable marine mammals.

10 Manatee Fun Facts

1. Slow and Steady Swimmers

Similarly to sloths, manatees are known for their leisurely pace. These gentle giants move through the water at an average speed of about 5 miles per hour (8 kilometers per hour), although they can swim faster in short bursts.

Their calm and unhurried nature is sadly one of the reasons they are often involved in boating accidents - they simply can't move out of the way fast enough. Boat collisions is one of the main dangers facing Florida manatees.

2. Relatives of Elephants

It's believed that manatees evolved from four-legged wading mammals a very long time ago, and their closest living relative is thought to be the elephant.

3. Known as 'Sea Cows'

Manatees are herbivores, feeding on a variety of aquatic plants. A single manatee can consume around 10% of its body weight in vegetation daily. They spend up to 8 hours a day grazing, earning them the nickname 'sea cow'. 

Their diet keeps underwater ecosystems in balance, making them a keystone species.

4. Hair Antennas

Manatees possess facial whiskers called vibrissae. These vibrissae help them locate and grasp plants for feeding. 

The small hairs on their body are believed to help them nagivate their way around, like small antennas, by picking up information about the nearby landscape, water currents, and the presence of other creatures.

As manatees have fairly poor vision, the hairs on their face and body explain how they're able to identify food and react to changing water currents.

5. Small Brains, Big Intelligence!

After realizing that manatees have very small brain sizes relative to their bodies, you may presume that they have a low intelligence - you'd be wrong!

Manatees have a brain that's similar in size to a grapefruit, which is less than a quarter of the size of most other large mammals, yet various studies have proved that they're intelligent creatures.  

6. Slow Reproduction Rate

Manatees have a relatively slow reproduction rate. Female manatees typically don't start reproducing until they are around 5 years old, and males aren't usually ready to mate until they're around 9 years old.

Mothers usually give birth to a single calf, who they look after for around 2 years, at which point they're ready to mate again.

7. Excellent at Holding Their Breath

As mammals with lungs, manatees need to breathe air in order to survive. When they need to breathe, they surface, take a breath, and then return to the depths.

Usually coming up for air every 3-5 mintues, manatees can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes at a time, and when resting, this number rises to 30 minutes. 

8. Buoyancy Control

A truly fascinating fact about manatees is that they use their lungs as a buoyancy aid! 

Inflating and compressing their lungs helps them to rise to the surface to take a breath, and then sink back down again. A nifty way to avoid having to swim to the surface!

9. New Teeth Are Continually Growing

Manatees only have molar teeth, which are in a constant cycle of growing and falling out. New teeth grow at the back of their mouth and move forward as the teeth at the front fall out.

10.They Need Warm Water

Unlike most marine mamals, such as whales and seals, that have blubber covering their entire bodies, manatees have a lack of blubber to keep them warm. Because of this, when water temperatures cool, they must move to find warmer water in order to avoid cold stress syndrome.

Manatees are remarkable creatures, as proved by our manatee fun facts! Unfortunately, they're listed as vulnerable. By learning more about these creatures and raising awareness through initiatives such as Manatee Awareness Month, we can ensure the survival of these gentle giants. Shop our collection of Manatee clothing and gifts to show off your love for sea cows!