Manatee

West indian manatee — © Zveriki.com, AI-generated image based on the original work of, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
Mass
278192–603715 g
Length
2400–4600 mm
Lifespan
18263–21915 days 50–60 years
40261
0
1
west-indian-manatee
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west indian manatee
Trichechus manatus
The American manatee is a large aquatic mammal that lives in the warm coastal waters, rivers, and estuaries of the Caribbean region and southeastern North America. It slowly swims among aquatic plants and feeds only on them.
The American manatee differs from the Amazonian manatee by the presence of small nails on the flippers and a wider range. It is important for nature because it controls the growth of aquatic plants and serves as an indicator of the health of coastal ecosystems.
collects and dries plants
trophic:herbivore
#f9f7eb
Mass (young)
20000–35000 g
Mass (adult mammal, female)
250000–600000 g
Mass (adult mammal, male)
200000–500000 g
Length (adult mammal, male)
2400–4000 mm
Length (young)
1000–1400 mm
Length (adult mammal, female)
2500–4600 mm
Height
178–4500 mm
Lifespan maximum
25202 days 69 years 1 month
Theoretical lifespan
7305–24439 days 20–67 years
Gestation
335 days 11 months 1 week
Litter size
1
Maturity
1460–2920 days 4–8 years
Offspring
1
Repro interval
730–1825 days 2–5 years
Flippers count (adult mammal)
2
Flippers count (young)
2
Flippers size (young)
200–300 mm
Tail size (young)
250–350 mm
Tail size (adult mammal)
700–1100 mm
Flippers size (adult mammal)
400–600 mm
Reproduction
normal sexual
Comparable in mass
Piano
Realm
Marine world
Realm
Freshwater
Biome
River estuary into the sea
Realm
Palearctic realm
Realm
Neotropical realm
Landscape
marine
Climate
Warm summer and lots of rain
Landscape
freshwater
Landscape
freshwater coastal and creek
Landscape
lakes and ponds
Landscape
rivers and streams
Landscape
marine coastal
Climate
Always hot
Climate
Warm sea
Food environment
aquatic
Shelter
no permanent shelter
Trophic type
herbivore
Reproduction
with mother
Reproduction
brooding in a pouch or mouth
Reproduction
live birth in the sea
Reproduction
sea
18262.5
21915.0
7305.0
24439.109795950764
2400.0
4600.0
278192.2855767281
603715.0224028996
homogamy, reproduction always with fertilization, no alternation of generations
Worker
Tail size
Were {name} like {animal}, then:
birth time
Dogs, dolphins, lynx hang out for 9-25 years and party on their birthday three times a year
m
Map
will celebrate their {n} birthday
shallow coastal zones of rivers and lakes
g
t
When your next jubilee falls in {name} life years
Human
days
South and Central America, hot and humid, huge forests
How old you would be if you lived as {name}
Theoretical maximum lifespan estimated from the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) mathematical model. This value reflects a biological potential derived from metabolic parameters, not from direct observation — real recorded lifespans are often significantly shorter.
with mother
adult mammal
Maturity
South and Central America, hot and humid, huge forests
About health
marine coastal
milk
in the parent's pouch/mouth in seawater
When your next birthday would fall if you lived as {name}
Piano
Snout color
Repro interval
results
Colors
Sex
protection from cold
Upcoming jubilees
Gremllins
mo
all seas and oceans
Trophic type
Filters
Upcoming birthdays
standing fresh waters — lakes, ponds, oxbow lakes
Truly long lives: 40-100 years. Bowhead whales, albatrosses, giant tortoises recall their birthday at most once a year
Lifespan
Height
aquatic plants
Age (juvenile)
Age (from birth to death)
Age (embryo)
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
Wanderers
algae
Jubilee = every 10th birthday
More:
Earliest developmental stage inside an egg or womb.
Business sausages
Lifespan average
leaves
Regeneration
the mother carries the baby in a pouch or mouth in sea water
What do they look like?
Maturity
emergence (insects)
end of lifespan
How do they live?
fertilization / egg laying
How do they behave?
birth / hatching
metamorphosis / end of larval stage
end of acceleration
Share
Find a pet...
Mature, fully developed individual capable of reproduction.
300 to 350 kilograms, 1.8 – 2.5 meters
Freshwater
mangrove leaves
where the river flows into the sea, slightly salty water, lots of fish and birds
Pets
all rivers and lakes
{name} jubilee
cm
Old-timers
Find an animal or breed...
Flippers count
turns
Rascals
Tail color
drink mother's milk in childhood
Litter size
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
How to care for them?
Living from 25 to 40 years. Orangutans, bald eagles, African elephants celebrate their birthday twice a year
°C
Not specified
Share
Actively searching habitats to locate food items.
Where are they found?
all seas and oceans
Species lacks any fixed or lasting shelter structure.
all rivers and lakes
herbivore
Locomotion through water employed while searching for or capturing prey.
Legendary longevity: over 100 years. Galapagos tortoises, Greenland sharks, ocean quahogs celebrate with family once every 4 years
Offspring
Elders
Bro
lakes and ponds
normal sexual
Taxons
rivers and streams
if born as {name}
inhabit and develop in salty sea water
age
water is almost always warm, even in winter you can swim, very hot in summer
birth date
Palearctic realm
swimming
no permanent shelter
tearing
freshwater coastal and creek
rest
seagrass
Close
was
Career from 7 to 15 months. Dwarf hamsters, voles, field crickets celebrate their birthday twice a month
Marine world
young are born live directly in sea water, not hatched from eggs or roe
The basics
Neotropical realm
My weight?
Non-stop carnival: they only live a few days. Mayflies, rotifers, midges celebrate their birthday more than twice a day
primary food sources
Neotropical realm
after transformation until death
Potential Habitat
d
In husbandry
On the go from 1.3 to 3.5 years. Forest mice, anoles, rainbow fish party on their birthday once a month
Feeding occurs in water bodies such as rivers, lakes, or oceans.
Mass
young shoots and leaves of plants
sea
Mosquitoes, fruit flies, small crustaceans hustle for up to 7 months and throw a birthday party every week
Plants
Gestation
Rips or shreds food using teeth, beak or claws.
aquatic
Warm sea
{name} birthday
Link copied
Always hot
No results found
On the map
all life stages
Female ♀
Body color
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0 Potential habitat modelled from GBIF occurrence data. Map © Zveriki.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
birth year
Maturity
sq mm
yr
collects and dries plants
How similar?
Male ♂
until the celebration
young
brooding in a pouch or mouth
age as {name}
How do they breed?
On the go from 3.5 to 6 years. Hedgehogs, crows, lizards treat themselves to birthday snacks 6 times a year
What if eaten?
Neither
Young offspring still dependent on parental care.
What do they eat?
Where do they live?
Marine world
Flippers color
River estuary into the sea
Freshwater
Duration
saline marine habitat
Flippers size
This is me
freshwater
Gamers
aquatic plants and algae
How are they built?
marine
shallow near the shore, water rises and falls, crabs live here
mm
Theoretical lifespan
ml
Stars
Link copied
coastal marine zone — shelf, neritic zone
My age?
wk
My size?
Asexual
swap
freshwater environment — rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps
Who among us will transform as if by magic and become like {animal}?
Rabbits, falcons, red-eared turtles hang out for 6-9 years and party on their birthday four times a year
Where do they take shelter?
Warm summer and lots of rain
Head color
celebrated their {n} birthday
When you would have been born if you lived as {name}
very hot all year round, frequent rains, but sometimes dry
Littoral Zone
flowing fresh waters — rivers, streams, mountain torrents
Daddies
live birth in the sea
Lifespan maximum
foraging
Hermaphrodite ⚥
embryo
Length
kg
lots of rain, warm and pleasant summer
Observations
◉{N} more on tap
young
pupa
imago
adolescent
adolescent
west-indian-manatee
amerikanskij-lamantin
amerikan-lamantini
khrwf-albhr-alamryky
amerykanski-lamantsin
west-indian-manatee
amerikamanati
west-indian-manatee
amerikanskij-lamantin
seoindojedomaeneoti
amerikanskij-lamantin
severnoamerichki-lamantin
west-indian-manatee
amerikanskij-lamantin
bei-mei-hai-niu
  • In the American manatee, male sexual maturity occurs at 9–10 years, but they may conceive as early as 2 years. Females reach maturity at 4–5 years.
  • The American manatee uses its lip to dig up plant roots. It can also grasp leaves from almost all plants encountered along its path using its lip.
  • The American manatee is born with large and small molars and can eat plant food about three weeks after birth. This happens despite being nursed by its mother for the first 18 months.
  • The American manatee can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h for distances no more than 100 m. Its usual speed does not exceed 10 km/h.
  • Male American manatees scratch themselves to secrete an enzyme and signal their sexual maturity to females. The enzyme is specifically released to attract nearby females.
  • The upper and lower lip of the American manatee can move independently. The feeding animal grasps vegetation with its lips and moves it into the mouth, where the teeth are located.
  • American manatees may migrate north if water warms to 20 °C or higher. In summer, they may move as far north as Virginia and Louisiana, with Rhode Island being the northernmost state where manatees have ever been recorded.
  • The American manatee can roll, flip, and swim on its back. It uses its tail for forward movement and its flippers as a rudder.
  • The American manatee requires fresh water to maintain osmotic pressure, even though it can tolerate a wide range of salinity. Without prolonged access to fresh water, animals may become dehydrated.
  • The bond between a mother and calf is the only stable and long-term relationship among American manatees. This bond lasts for many years, even when the calf grows and no longer needs direct help from the mother.
  • Female manatees use their flippers to push away neighbors, but males in musth behave peacefully, showing no aggression toward each other. During this period, they try to quickly approach a potential mate.

Age

  • In the American manatee, male sexual maturity occurs at 9–10 years, but they may conceive as early as 2 years. Females reach maturity at 4–5 years.
  • Male American manatees scratch themselves to secrete an enzyme and signal their sexual maturity to females. The enzyme is specifically released to attract nearby females.
  • The bond between a mother and calf is the only stable and long-term relationship among American manatees. This bond lasts for many years, even when the calf grows and no longer needs direct help from the mother.

Phenotype

  • The American manatee is born with large and small molars and can eat plant food about three weeks after birth. This happens despite being nursed by its mother for the first 18 months.
  • The upper and lower lip of the American manatee can move independently. The feeding animal grasps vegetation with its lips and moves it into the mouth, where the teeth are located.
  • The American manatee can roll, flip, and swim on its back. It uses its tail for forward movement and its flippers as a rudder.

Geography

  • American manatees may migrate north if water warms to 20 °C or higher. In summer, they may move as far north as Virginia and Louisiana, with Rhode Island being the northernmost state where manatees have ever been recorded.

Feeding

  • The American manatee is born with large and small molars and can eat plant food about three weeks after birth. This happens despite being nursed by its mother for the first 18 months.

Reproduction

  • The bond between a mother and calf is the only stable and long-term relationship among American manatees. This bond lasts for many years, even when the calf grows and no longer needs direct help from the mother.
  • In the American manatee, male sexual maturity occurs at 9–10 years, but they may conceive as early as 2 years. Females reach maturity at 4–5 years.
  • The American manatee uses its lip to dig up plant roots. It can also grasp leaves from almost all plants encountered along its path using its lip.
  • The American manatee is born with large and small molars and can eat plant food about three weeks after birth. This happens despite being nursed by its mother for the first 18 months.
  • The American manatee can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h for distances no more than 100 m. Its usual speed does not exceed 10 km/h.
  • Male American manatees scratch themselves to secrete an enzyme and signal their sexual maturity to females. The enzyme is specifically released to attract nearby females.
  • The upper and lower lip of the American manatee can move independently. The feeding animal grasps vegetation with its lips and moves it into the mouth, where the teeth are located.
  • American manatees may migrate north if water warms to 20 °C or higher. In summer, they may move as far north as Virginia and Louisiana, with Rhode Island being the northernmost state where manatees have ever been recorded.
  • The American manatee can roll, flip, and swim on its back. It uses its tail for forward movement and its flippers as a rudder.
  • The American manatee requires fresh water to maintain osmotic pressure, even though it can tolerate a wide range of salinity. Without prolonged access to fresh water, animals may become dehydrated.
  • Female manatees use their flippers to push away neighbors, but males in musth behave peacefully, showing no aggression toward each other. During this period, they try to quickly approach a potential mate.

In Husbandry

  • The American manatee requires fresh water to maintain osmotic pressure, even though it can tolerate a wide range of salinity. Without prolonged access to fresh water, animals may become dehydrated.