Kingdom: Animalia Communication: Manatees make sounds that Phylum: Chordata can be described as chirps, whistles or Class: Mammalia squeaks. Most communication appears to be Order: Sirenia between mothers and calves. Family: Trichechidae Genus: Trichechus Habitat: Manatees are found in shallow, Mortality: Many manatee mortalities are human- Species: Manatus slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, related. Most human-related manatee mortalities in Subspecies: Latirostris canals and coastal areas, particularly where Florida are caused by watercraft collisions. seagrass beds or freshwater vegetation flourish. Manatees are also crushed and/or drowned in canal Description: West Indian manatees are large, gray locks and flood control structures. They can aquatic mammals with whale-like bodies that taper Range: West Indian manatees are found accidentally ingest fishhooks, litter and fishing line to a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They have two throughout the wider Caribbean basin and within or become entangled in crab trap lines. Manatees forelimbs, called flippers, with three to four nails. the southeastern United States. Florida manatees can also die from natural causes such as cold- Their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on are concentrated in Florida in the winter. Sporadic related disease, gastrointestinal disease and the snout. summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia, and South pneumonia. Carolina are relatively common. Size: The average adult manatee is about three Legal Protection: Manatees in Florida are meters (9.8 feet) long and weighs between 362 – Food: Manatees are herbivores. They eat aquatic protected under two federal laws: the Marine 544 kilograms (800 – 1,200 pounds). plants and can consume about 10 – 15% of their Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the body weight in vegetation daily. Endangered Species Act of 1973. Manatees are Behavior: Manatees are passive, slow-moving also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary animals. Most of their time is spent eating, resting Related Species: The West Indian manatee Act of 1978. and traveling. Manatees are often shy and belongs to the scientific order Sirenia and the reclusive. Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian Conservation: The Florida Manatee Recovery manatee. Other sirenians include the Amazonian Plan is coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sight: Manatees can distinguish between different- manatee, dugong, Steller’s sea cow (extinct), and Service and sets forth a list of tasks geared toward sized objects, colors and patterns and have been West African manatee. recovering manatees from their current endangered known to respond to visual cues from distances of status. These tasks include: the development of up to 35 meters (115 feet) away. Reproduction: As with most large mammals, site-specific boat speed zones for manatee manatees have a low reproductive rate. Manatees protection, implementation of management plans, Hearing: Anatomically, manatees have large ear are not sexually mature until they are about five posting of regulatory speed signs, levying fines for bones and have a good sense of hearing. However, years old. On average, one calf is born every two excessive speed in designated areas, public their optimal hearing is most likely in the higher to five years, and twins are rare. acquisition of critical habitat, creation of frequency range. Sound localization is poor. sanctuaries, manatee research, and education and public awareness programs.