Calves nurse under water. Manatee milk contains mostly water with 20% solids, 7% protein, and 13% fat (lipids). Calves begin nibbling on plants within a few weeks of birth. Although it may be weaned by the end of its first year, the calf remains close to its mother for up to two years.
Manatees are calm and peaceful marine mammals that pose no danger to swimmers. In fact, they are curious animals that enjoy human interaction and are quite happy to relate with and be around humans. That's why it's quite common for manatees to approach swimmers or divers for a belly rub or close contact.
Mother manatees nurse their young for a long period, and a calf may remain dependent on its mother for up to two years. The calf nurses from nipples located behind the mother's flippers and begins to eat plants a few weeks after birth. Nursing takes place under water.
Manatees are primarily herbivores. 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.
Touching a manatee is illegalTouching manatees also may lead to a violation of the U.S. federal laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Ordinarily, touching a manatee is punishable under the Manatee Sanctuary Act, with a fine of up to $500 and/or a jail term of up to 60 days.
Manatees are protected under state and federal law. These laws make it illegal to feed, harass, pursue, injure, or kill manatees. Feeding manatees, giving them water, or otherwise altering their behavior can be considered harassment.
It's very rare that an alligator will eat a manatee. Despite alligators being much stronger, they typically leave manatees alone. In fact, many alligators and manatees coexist peacefully in the water. There have also been instances where alligators move aside and let manatees passing through swim ahead of them.
Though manatees live all over Florida, the only place you're legally allowed to get in and swim around with them is Citrus County. Homosassa has Blue Springs, a freshwater spring under a natural aquifer where manatees come to find warm water.
Manatees never go on land. Manatees don't always need to breathe. As they swim, they poke their nose up above the water's surface to catch a few breaths every few minutes. If they are simply resting, they can stay under the water for 15 minutes without taking a breath, according to National Geographic.
Manatees are often called “gentle giants,” and this video makes it clear why. They're slow-moving, peaceful creatures that tend to flock toward human activity in search of warmth.
Manatees don't really have any real predators. Sharks or killer whales or alligators or crocodiles could eat them, but since they don't usually inhabit the same waters, this is pretty rare. Their biggest threat is from humans. And because of this, all manatee species are endangered and threatened.
Usually the peak season for manatees is December to March, with December, January and February being the best months to visit because manatees are present in huge numbers in Kings Bay.
Best time of day to swim with manateesAnd the best time of day to join the manatees is the early morning. It has been said that the best day to see manatees would be early morning of the coldest day of the year. Another good reason for an early excursion to see the manatees is that there are fewer people around.
Dugongs are related to manatees and are similar in appearance and behavior— though the dugong's tail is fluked like a whale's. Both are related to the elephant, although the giant land animal is not at all similar in appearance or behavior.
Please call Blue Spring State Park before you visit to get the latest manatee count at the park: 386-775-3663. See Wayne's Scar Charts for all of the Blue Spring manatees (pdf). Learn about Blue Spring State Park and why it is vital habitat for manatees.
Mosquito Lagoon, Merritt Island National Wildlife RefugeA manatee observation area is located within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The location is where the Haulover Canal connects the Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River.
Today, the range-wide population is estimated to be at least 13,000 manatees, with more than 6,500 in the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. When aerial surveys began in 1991, there were an estimated 1,267 manatees in Florida.
During the summer months, manatees are mostly found along North America's East Coast. In winter between November and April, large groups migrate to Florida where they travel freely in coastal waters, specifically near Crystal River.
A trip to Tarpon Springs in Florida offers travelers a chance to see gentle Manatees in their natural habitat at a lagoon known mostly to locals.
The price of $79 per person includes everything. You will receive your mask, snorkel, and wet suit, along with in-depth instruction about the manatees from your knowledgeable captain and friendly boat crew.
There's only one place in North America where you legally swim with manatees, and that's in the Crystal River area— located about 90 minutes north of Tampa, on the west coast of Florida. The headwaters of Crystal River are known as Kings Bay, where the water temperature is a consistent 72 degrees year-round.
If you visit during other times of the year, a sure bet to see one is to head over to Mote Marine Aquarium at 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236 where you can see one of the local star resident manatees like Buffett or Hugh.
The manatees that roam the Florida Keys are West Indian Manatees, which is one of the three main species of manatees. Although manatees live in the water, they are mammals. The average adult manatee weighs between 800 – 1200 pounds.
