Manatees

Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are large, slow-moving marine mammals most closely related to elephants. They grow up to 13 feet long and weigh over 1,300 pounds. They live in Florida's coastal waters, rivers, estuaries, and freshwater springs. In warm months they range throughout Florida's waterways and along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In winter, they cluster in warm-water refuges including the 72°F springs of central Florida.

Manatees cannot survive in water below about 68°F ? they have very little insulating blubber and are highly susceptible to cold stress syndrome. Florida's springs maintain a constant 72°F year-round regardless of season, fed by the thermally stable Floridan Aquifer. When winter cold fronts drop coastal water temperatures, manatees instinctively migrate to these warm spring vents. Springs like Three Sisters Springs and Blue Spring can attract hundreds of manatees on cold winter days.

Manatees are herbivores that graze on aquatic vegetation including seagrasses, water hyacinths, mangrove leaves, and many other freshwater and saltwater plants. They consume an enormous amount ? up to 10?15% of their body weight daily. A large manatee may eat over 100 pounds of vegetation per day. This grazing plays an important ecological role in keeping aquatic plant growth in check.

Adult Florida manatees typically measure 9?13 feet long and weigh 800?1,300 pounds, with the largest individuals exceeding 3,500 pounds. Females tend to be larger than males. Calves are born at around 60?70 pounds and 4 feet long, and are swimming and surfacing for air within hours of birth.

Not at all. Manatees are among the gentlest large animals in the world ? they have no aggressive behaviors toward humans, no dangerous teeth, and no claws. They are naturally curious and often approach swimmers and kayakers. The only realistic risk is accidental contact from their sheer size. Always give them space and let them decide whether to approach.

Florida manatees can live 60 years or more in the wild. The most famous example was Snooty, a resident of the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, who lived to 69 years before his death in 2017 ? believed to be the longest-lived manatee in captivity on record.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission aerial surveys estimated the population at 8,350?11,730 individuals as of 2021?2022. This follows a devastating 2021 die-off in which over 1,100 manatees starved to death after pollution destroyed seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon. Deaths have remained elevated since ? 565 manatee deaths were recorded in 2024.

Slow down, go quiet, and let the manatee set the terms. It is illegal to harass, touch, feed, or pursue manatees under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and Florida's Manatee Sanctuary Act. If a manatee approaches out of curiosity, passive observation is fine ? never reach out to touch it, block its path, or separate a mother from her calf. Report injured or harassed manatees to FWC at 1-888-404-3922.