Florida Wildlife Vacations - Florida Manatees

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Florida Manatees

The Florida manatee is Florida’s state marine mammal. Also known as the sea cow, it is an endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee and was once found in great numbers throughout the tropical and subtropical Caribbean waters.

Manatees thrive in warm waters and at temperatures below 68 degrees F, they suffer cold stress and often die. This need for warmer waters attracts them to the coastal rivers, canals and estuaries in Florida and southern Georgia during winter.

By 2000, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission counted only a little more than 2,200 manatees surviving in the Florida wilds.

The Florida manatee faces a serious threat of extinction and while they are protected by federal and state laws, their numbers continue to be threatened by loss of habitat, careless anglers and increasing boat traffic on the Florida waterways.

These shy, slow and almost blind mammals are vulnerable to being hit by boats when they surface, and its common to see propeller scars across their backs.

They have large, plump, greyish colored bodies, a beaver-like tail and two small forelimbs. The large upper lip is covered with small whiskers. An adult male manatee may be about 11 to 12 feet (3 - 3.5 meters) long and weigh around 1000 pounds (450 kg)

Manatees are herbivores and consume 10% to 15% of their body weight each day. Females give birth to only one calf at a time and only every two to five years. They have no natural enemies except humans.

The best manatee viewing is at Blue Springs State Park, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park and along the Crystal River. They spend November to March in the parks' springs and in warmer periods, they can also be found in the St Johns River.

Several organizations throughout Florida rescue and rehabilitate injured manatees. Two of the largest are SeaWorld in Orlando and Seaquarium in Miami.