# Manatee (*Trichechus manatus*)

> Manatees are large, slow-moving aquatic mammals often called sea cows. The West Indian manatee grazes on seagrass and water plants in warm rivers, estuaries, and shallow coasts. Adults reach about 3 m (10 ft) and 500 kg (1,100 lb) and can live 40 years or more in the wild.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Warm Atlantic coasts, rivers, and estuaries from the southeastern United States through the Caribbean to northern Brazil.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/manatee/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Sirenia
- **Family:** Trichechidae
- **Genus:** Trichechus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Trichechus manatus |
| Diet | Herbivore (seagrass and water plants) |
| Habitat | Warm rivers, estuaries, and shallow coasts |
| Lifespan | 40+ years in the wild |
| Weight | 200–600 kg (440–1,300 lb) |
| Length | 2.7–4 m (9–13 ft) |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## Gentle plant-eating giants

Manatees are among the only fully aquatic herbivorous mammals. A single adult can eat a tenth of its body weight in seagrass and water plants every day, grazing for up to eight hours. They have no natural predators and spend their time slowly cruising warm shallows, surfacing every few minutes to breathe.

## Built for warm water

Despite their bulk, manatees have very little body fat and a slow metabolism, so they cannot survive long in water below about 20°C (68°F). In winter, Florida manatees gather in the hundreds around warm natural springs and the outflows of power plants, where the water stays warm enough to keep them alive.

## Surprisingly close to elephants

Manatees are not related to whales or seals. Their closest living relatives are elephants, with which they share traits such as continually replaced molar teeth and thick, sparse body hair. The group that includes manatees and the dugong is called the Sirenia, the likely origin of old sailors' mermaid legends.

## Habitat and range

The West Indian manatee lives along the Atlantic coast from the southeastern United States through the Caribbean to northern Brazil. It moves freely between salt, brackish, and fresh water, following warm temperatures and the seagrass beds it depends on for food.

## Conservation

Manatees are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Their greatest threats are collisions with boats — many wild manatees carry scars from propellers — along with loss of seagrass, cold-water stress, and entanglement. Speed-limit zones, habitat protection, and rescue-and-release programs are central to their recovery.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why are manatees called sea cows?

Because they are large, slow, and graze on underwater plants much as cows graze on grass. The nickname reflects their gentle, herbivorous lifestyle, not any relationship to cattle.

### What do manatees eat?

Manatees are herbivores that feed almost entirely on seagrass, freshwater plants, and algae, eating up to a tenth of their body weight every day.

### Are manatees dangerous?

No. Manatees are gentle, curious, and harmless to people. The danger runs the other way — boat strikes are one of the leading causes of manatee deaths.

### What are manatees related to?

Their closest living relatives are elephants. Manatees belong to a group called the Sirenia, which also includes the dugong, and they likely inspired ancient mermaid myths.

### How long do manatees live?

Manatees can live 40 years or more in the wild, and some individuals have passed 60. Many die younger from boat collisions and cold-water stress.

## Sources

- Deutsch, C. J. et al. (2008). Trichechus manatus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- [Animal Diversity Web — Trichechus manatus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Trichechus_manatus/)
- Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World (6th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/manatee/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.