Twelve manatee facts, fact-checked
Manatees are sirenians — placid aquatic herbivores with a surprising family tree. Full profile in our manatee guide.
1. Elephants are their closest relatives
Manatees, dugongs, elephants and hyraxes share a common ancestor. Toenails on the flippers are a visible trace of it.
2. Teeth move forward on a conveyor
Abrasive plants wear teeth down, so new molars form at the back and migrate forward — a system otherwise seen mainly in elephants.
3. They eat up to 50 kg of plants daily
Around a tenth of body weight in seagrass and freshwater vegetation.
4. They are entirely herbivorous
One of very few fully plant-eating marine mammals.
5. They probably started the mermaid myth
Columbus recorded sighting mermaids that were almost certainly manatees.
6. They have six neck vertebrae
One fewer than almost every other mammal, which means they cannot turn their heads and must rotate the whole body.
7. They surface every few minutes
Typically every three to five minutes, up to twenty when resting.
8. Cold kills them
Little insulating fat means water below about 20°C causes cold stress. Florida manatees gather at warm springs and power station outflows in winter.
9. Boat strikes are the major threat
Slow-moving surface breathers in busy waterways; most adults carry propeller scars, which researchers use to identify individuals.
10. Seagrass loss is the newer crisis
Water-quality-driven seagrass die-off has caused mass starvation events in Florida.
11. They can live over 60 years
Some individuals in managed care have exceeded that.
12. They are Vulnerable
Boat strikes, habitat loss, cold-water events and entanglement all limit recovery.
Read the full manatee wildlife guide for IUCN status, population context and sources — or donate to WARN to help fund the partner teams protecting wildlife on the ground.
