Manatee Facts
A manatee is a large, fully aquatic marine mammal, sometimes called a sea cow, that eats mostly plants and has a paddle-shaped tail.
- Class
- Mammal
- Scientific name
- Trichechus
About the manatee
Three living manatee species exist: the Amazonian, the West Indian and the West African manatee. Together they account for three of the four living sirenians, the order Sirenia. They can reach 4.0 meters (13 ft 1 in) long and weigh as much as 590 kilograms (1,300 lb). They live in shallow, marshy coastal waters and rivers in West Africa, the Amazon basin, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
As herbivores, manatees eat more than 60 kinds of freshwater and saltwater plants. Most manatee deaths trace back to people, through habitat destruction and objects people leave behind. Because manatees are slow and curious, they often collide with propeller-driven boats, and some carry over 50 propeller scars. Cold or hot water, disease and crocodiles hunting the young are natural causes of death.
Did you know?
- Manatees belong to the family Trichechidae and the genus Trichechus.
- Some manatees have been found with more than 50 scars from boat propellers.
- Crocodiles sometimes prey on young manatees, one of the natural threats they face.
Questions about the manatee
What do manatees eat?
Manatees feed on more than 60 kinds of plants from both salt water and fresh water.
Where do manatees live?
In shallow, marshy coasts and rivers of West Africa, the Amazon basin, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Sources
- Wikidata Q42797, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Manatee, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.