West Indian Manatees

The West Indian Manatee is a marine mammal with the scientific name Trichechus manatus.

Taxonomy:

Domain: Eukaryote

Kingdom: Animal

Phylum: Chordate

Class: Mammal

Order: Therapsid

Family: Trichechidae

Genus: Trichechus

Species: Manatus

Description:

Size: Usually about 3 meters long, but they can be up to 5 meters long

Mass: Usually about 200-600 kgs, but the larger manatees can be up to 1500 kgs

Coloration: Gray and brown

Life Span: About 50 - 70 years

Distinctive Features: Paddle shaped tails, hair concentrated in the snout area, gray color, large upper lip

Unique Characteristics: Large upper lip, algae grows on their bodies

Pictures:

Habitat:

The West Indian manatee is found in the coastal waters of the s

Try our manatee crossword puzzle here. outhern Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Florida and the Gulf Coast. In the winter, it is usually only found in Florida. It is also found in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Niche: Manatees eat a lot of seagrass which helps keep the grass short and the sea beds healthy.

Food sources: They feed on a wide variety of submerged, emergent, floating, and shoreline vegetation. Manatees in Florida feed on more than 60 species of plants including turtle grass, manatee grass, shoal grass, mangrove leaves, various algae, water hyacinth, acorns, and hydrilla. It is prey to predators like sharks and alligators primarily in their young age.

Status: Endangered

Cultural Significance:

Native Americans - They were a valued source of food and medicine

Africa - Honored and respected. Legends say they were once humans

They are also considered to be wise creatures

Cool Story: One day, during one of Christopher Columbus’s explorations, he shouted out that he saw people swimming. He said that they had tails and were swimming in the deep waters of the ocean. He believed that he had discovered yet another thing. But long after he passed we learned that those were just Manatees!

See our infographic about manatees and the estuary here.

Try our manatee crossword puzzle here.