FWS Focus

Overview

Characteristics
Overview

The West Indian manatee is a large herbivorous (plant-eating) marine mammal. There are two subspecies of West Indian manatees: the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).

As its name suggests, the Florida manatee is native to Florida and is found primarily in coastal areas throughout the state. Manatees are cold-intolerant so their distribution in the US varies significantly between the warmer and colder months of the year. During the warmer months, the Florida manateeโ€™s range may extend west to Texas and north to Delaware Bay and potentially beyond. As water temperatures decrease in the fall, manatees return to peninsular Florida and their warm water sites. Antillean manatee is found along the Mexican Gulf of Mexico coastline, down through Central America, and continuing to Brazilโ€™s northeastern Atlantic coastline, as well as in the Caribbean Greater Antilles.

Today, the range-wide population estimate for the West Indian manatee is at least 13,000 manatees. When aerial surveys began in 1991, the minimum population estimate in Florida was 1,267 manatees. Today and with the use of more robust survey methodology, at least 8,350 are estimated to inhabit Florida, representing a significant increase over the past 33 years. However, the best available information for the Antillean manatee indicates abundance is declining in most of the Antillean subspecies' range. A rough estimate indicates there are less than 7,000 Antillean manatees in the wild. 

The health and survival of the West Indian manatee is threatened by human-related impacts such as collisions with watercraft, habitat loss (both the loss of forage and warm water), entanglements in fishing gear and other marine debris, entrapments due to high water events, crushing in navigation locks or other water control structures, as well as natural events such as cold snaps and red tide.

Manatees are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act and under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Scientific Name

Trichechus manatus
Common Name
West Indian Manatee
manatee
Caribbean manatee
FWS Category
Mammals
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Characteristics

Characteristic category

Physical Characteristics

Characteristics
Size & Shape

Manatees are large marine mammals with two flippers and a large, paddle-shaped tail. The flippers are used to steer and hold vegetation. Their powerful tails are used for swimming, helping them reach speeds of 15 miles per hour for very short periods.

Adult manatees are typically 9-10 feet long but can reach lengths of more than 13 feet. Newborn manatees average four to four and a half feet in length.

Weight

Adult manatees typically weigh around 1,000 pounds but some can weigh as much as 3,500 pounds. At birth, a manatee calf weighs around 60 to 70 pounds.

Color & Pattern

Manatees are typically greyish brown in color. They have sparse hairs spread across their bodies, with bristles about the muzzle.

Characteristic category

Habitat

Characteristics
Habitat

Manatees live in marine, brackish, and freshwater systems in coastal and riverine areas throughout their range. Preferred habitats include areas near the shore featuring submerged aquatic vegetation like seagrass and eelgrass. They feed along grass bed margins with access to deep water channels, where they may flee when threatened. Florida manatees can be found throughout Florida for most of the year. However, they cannot tolerate temperatures below 68 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods of time, and during the winter months, cold temperatures keep the population concentrated mostly in peninsular Florida. To keep warm in cooler months, many manatees rely on the warm water from natural springs, power plant outfalls, and passive thermal basins.

Marine

Having to do with water

Coastal
River or Stream
Characteristic category

Food

Characteristics
Food

Due to their eating habits, manatees are nicknamed sea cows, because they eat seagrasses and other aquatic plants along coastal waters, marshes and rivers. As an interesting and unique adaptation to their diet (which includes plants and other material that may wear down their teeth), manatees exhibit tooth replacement with molars that are continually replaced throughout their life.

Characteristic category

Behavior

Characteristics
Behavior

Manatees are herbivores or plant eaters and spend up to 8 hours a day eating seagrass or other vegetation. They may consume up to 10% of their body weight per day. 

Manatees typically surface every three to five minutes to breathe but can hold their breath as long as 20 minutes.

Manatee mothers nurse their calves by providing them with milk from teats located just behind their flippers. The mother manatee cares for her calf for about two years.  This is a very important time for the manatee calf as, during this time, the adult female teaches her offspring critical survival skills: how to migrate, where the warm water sites are, and where to find forage, freshwater, and sheltered areas. 

Geography

Characteristics
Range

Historically, West Indian manatees were found along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, throughout the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazilโ€™s Atlantic coastline. However, due to hunting, habitat fragmentation and loss, and other factors, manatees have disappeared from various parts of their range. For example, manatee hunts were common until the early 1900s, and as a result the species is no longer found in Guadeloupe and other islands in the Lesser Antilles.

Today West Indian manatees are found in the southeastern U.S., eastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panamรก, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and in the Bahamas.

The Florida manatee primarily inhabits Floridaโ€™s coastal waters, rivers and springs. During the warmer months, some Florida manatees travel up the eastern coastline into Georgia and the Carolinas with a few animals traveling as far north as Massachusetts. In the Gulf, Florida manatees can be found west through coastal Louisiana and occasionally as far west as Texas.

The Antillean manatee is found along the Gulf of Mexico coast, through the Caribbean, and along Brazilโ€™s northeastern Atlantic coastline. The species occurs in a patchy distribution from northern Mexico to the northeastern coast of Brazil, as well as in the Caribbean. However, historical accounts, including several hunting accounts, suggest that Antillean manatees were once more common throughout their range. Manatees may travel hundreds of miles during a yearโ€™s time, preferring to travel along channels and shorelines.

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

55 Items

Listing

Listing

Listing

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Recovery Plan

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Notice

Recovery Plan

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Notice

Regulation

MMPA Incidental Take Regulation

NEPA - EIS

Notice

Regulation

MMPA Incidental Take Regulation

Regulation

Listing

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Regulation

Notice

Regulation

Five Year Review

Critical Habitat

MMPA Stock Assessment Report

Critical Habitat

Regulation

4d

Regulation

MMPA Stock Assessment Report

Downlisting

Downlisting

Downlisting

Downlisting

Five Year Review

Uplisting

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Listing

Mar 11, 1967

Mar 11, 1967 Listing (Endangered)
Endangered Species List - 1967
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 1

Listing

Apr 14, 1970

Apr 14, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Endangered Species Conservation); 35 FR 6069
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 2

Listing

Jun 2, 1970

Jun 2, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
Part 17 - Conservation of Endangered Species and Other Fish or Wildlife (First List of Endangered Foโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 3

Critical Habitat

Dec 16, 1975

Dec 16, 1975 Critical Habitat
Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for Snail Darter, American Crocodile, Whooping Crane, Calโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 4

Critical Habitat

Sep 24, 1976

Sep 24, 1976 Critical Habitat
Determination of Critical Habitat for American Crocodile, California Condor, Indiana Bat, and Floridโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 5

Critical Habitat

Sep 22, 1977

Sep 22, 1977 Critical Habitat
Final Correction and Augumentation of Critical Habitat Reorganization; 42 FR 47840 47845
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 6

Regulation

Jan 23, 1979

Jan 23, 1979 Regulation
Proposed Rulemaking to Provide for the Establishment of Manatee Protection Areas
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 7

Regulation

Nov 12, 1980

Nov 12, 1980 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP: Establishment of Manatee Protection Areas in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Florida
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 8

Regulation

Feb 19, 1992

Feb 19, 1992 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
(Emergency) ETWP; Emergency Rule to Establish Additional Manatee Sanctuaries in Kings Bay, Crystal Rโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 9

Regulation

Jan 22, 1993

Jan 22, 1993 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Emergency Rule to Establish Additional Manatee Protection Areas in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Fโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 10

Regulation

May 13, 1993

May 13, 1993 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Proposed Rule to Establish Additional Manatee Protection Areas in Kings Bay, Crystal River, FL
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 11

Regulation

May 13, 1993

May 13, 1993 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Proposed Rule to Establish Additional Manatee Protection Areas in Kings Bay, Crystal River, FL
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 12

Regulation

Jun 4, 1993

Jun 4, 1993 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Emergency Rule Establishing Manatee Protection Areas in Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refugeโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 13

Regulation

May 12, 1994

May 12, 1994 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Final Rule To Establish Additional Manatee Protection Areas in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Floriโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 14

Recovery Plan

Dec 27, 1994

Dec 27, 1994 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan Revision for the Florida Manatee for Review and Comment
  • Publication type: Draft
  • Population:
Item 15

Regulation

Nov 26, 1997

Nov 26, 1997 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Proposed Rule To Establish an Addititonal Manatee Sancturary in Kings Bay, Crystal River, FL
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 16

Regulation

Nov 26, 1997

Nov 26, 1997 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Emergency Rule To Establish and Additional Manatee Sancturary in Kings Bay, Crystal River, FL
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 17

Regulation

Oct 16, 1998

Oct 16, 1998 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Final Rule to Establish an Additional Manatee Sancturary in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Florida
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 18

Notice

Sep 1, 2000

Sep 1, 2000 Notice
Endangered Species; Establishment of Manatee Protection Areas
  • Publication type: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
  • Population:
Item 19

Recovery Plan

Jul 10, 2001

Jul 10, 2001 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Notice of Availability of the Technical/Agency Draft Florida Manatee Recovery Plan, Third Revision fโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
  • Population:
Item 20

Regulation

Aug 10, 2001

Aug 10, 2001 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Proposed Rule To Establish Sixteen Additional Manatee Protection Areas in Florida; Proposed Ruโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 21

Regulation

Jan 7, 2002

Jan 7, 2002 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final action to establish two additional Manatee Protโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 22

Regulation

Apr 16, 2002

Apr 16, 2002 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
ETWP; Amendment to Manatee Protection Areas in Florida, Proposed rule.
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 23

Regulation

Sep 20, 2002

Sep 20, 2002 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife: Emergency Rule to Establish Seven Additional Manatee Protectionโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 24

Notice

Nov 8, 2002

Nov 8, 2002 Notice
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Input on Additional Manatee Protection Measures
  • Publication type: Information Solicitation
  • Population:
Item 25

Regulation

Nov 8, 2002

Nov 8, 2002 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Final Rule to Establish Thirteen Additional Manatee Pโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 26

MMPA Incidental Take Regulation

Nov 14, 2002

Nov 14, 2002 MMPA Incidental Take Regulation
Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior, Florida Manatees; Incidental Take During Specified Activities:โ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed Rule
  • Population:
Item 27

NEPA - EIS

Nov 14, 2002

Nov 14, 2002 NEPA - EIS
Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior, Florida Manatees; Incidental Take During Specified Activities:โ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Draft
  • Population:
Item 28

Notice

Jan 9, 2003

Jan 9, 2003 Notice
Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior;Florida Manatees; Incidental Take During Specified Activities: Pโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Comment Period Extension
  • Population:
Item 29

Regulation

Apr 4, 2003

Apr 4, 2003 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangered and Treatened Species: Establishment of Three Additional Manatee Protection Areas in FLorโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 30

MMPA Incidental Take Regulation

May 8, 2003

May 8, 2003 MMPA Incidental Take Regulation
Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities
  • Publication type: Withdrawal
  • Population:
Item 31

Regulation

Aug 6, 2003

Aug 6, 2003 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Establishment of Three Additional Manatee Protectionโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 32

Listing

Oct 22, 2003

Oct 22, 2003 Listing
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Federal Protection Status from Two Manateeโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Withdrawal
  • Population:
Item 33

Regulation

Apr 7, 2004

Apr 7, 2004 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, FL
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 34

Regulation

Jul 7, 2004

Jul 7, 2004 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Endangerd and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Removal of Federal Protection Status From Two Manateeโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 35

Regulation

Jul 7, 2004

Jul 7, 2004 Regulation
Endangerd and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Removal of Federal Protection Status From Two Manateeโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Withdrawal
  • Population:
Item 36

Regulation

Aug 6, 2004

Aug 6, 2004 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, Florida; Proposed Rule and Finโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 37

Regulation

Aug 6, 2004

Aug 6, 2004 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Emergency Rule: Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, FLorida
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 38

Regulation

Dec 6, 2004

Dec 6, 2004 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, FL:Emergency rule.
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 39

Notice

Dec 6, 2004

Dec 6, 2004 Notice
Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, FL: Proposed rule; notice of pโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Comment Period Reopening
  • Population:
Item 40

Regulation

Apr 7, 2005

Apr 7, 2005 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Final Rule: Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, Florida
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 41

Five Year Review

Apr 14, 2005

Apr 14, 2005 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of a 5-Year Review of the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
  • Publication type: Notice
  • Population:
Item 42

Critical Habitat

Sep 29, 2009

Sep 29, 2009 Critical Habitat (Substantial information for revision)
90-Day Finding on a Petition to Revise Critical Habitat for the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatuโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
  • Population:
Item 43

MMPA Stock Assessment Report

Dec 30, 2009

Dec 30, 2009 MMPA Stock Assessment Report (Document Availability)
Marine Mammal Protection Act; Stock Assessment Report: Notice of Availability of final 2009 revisedโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 44

Critical Habitat

Jan 12, 2010

Jan 12, 2010 Critical Habitat (Proceed with CH revision)
12-month Finding on a Petition To Revise Critical Habitat for the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatuโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
  • Population:
Item 45

Regulation

Nov 9, 2010

Nov 9, 2010 Regulation (Manatee Protection Area)
Emergency Rule To Establish a Manatee Refuge in Kings Bay, Citrus County, FL
  • Publication type: Emergency
  • Population:
Item 46

4d

Jun 22, 2011

Jun 22, 2011 4d
Proposed Rule To Establish a Manatee Refuge in Kings Bay, Citrus County, FL
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 47

Regulation

Mar 16, 2012

Mar 16, 2012 Regulation
Final Rule Establishing a Manatee Refuge in Kings Bay, Citrus County, FL
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 48

MMPA Stock Assessment Report

Jan 23, 2014

Jan 23, 2014 MMPA Stock Assessment Report (Document Availability)
Marine Mammal Protection Act: Final revised WIM stock assessment reports.
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 49

Downlisting

Jul 2, 2014

Jul 2, 2014 Downlisting (Substantial)
90-Day Finding on a Petition To Reclassify the West Indian Manatee From Endangered to Threatened
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
  • Population:
Item 50

Downlisting

Jan 8, 2016

Jan 8, 2016 Downlisting (Downlist Threatened)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To Downlist the West Iโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
  • Population:
Item 51

Downlisting

Jan 8, 2016

Jan 8, 2016 Downlisting (Warranted)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To Downlist the West Iโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
  • Population:
Item 52

Downlisting

Apr 5, 2017

Apr 5, 2017 Downlisting (Downlist Threatened)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reclassification of the West Indian Manatee From Endaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
  • Population:
Item 53

Five Year Review

Jul 14, 2021

Jul 14, 2021 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews for 37 Southeastern Species; request for information
  • Publication type: Notice
  • Population:
Item 54

Uplisting

Oct 12, 2023

Oct 12, 2023 Uplisting (Substantial)
90-Day Findings for Two Petitions To Reclassify the West Indian Manatee
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
  • Population:
Item 55