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Manatees, with their large and lumbering nature, exhibit qualities of cuteness, cuddliness, and adorableness, while leading fascinating lives. These creatures are uniquely recognized for their whiskered faces, paddle-shaped tails, and broad backs. Manatees, warm-blooded (endothermic) mammals, inhabit coastal areas and rivers, giving birth to live offspring and carefully nurturing their young. In Crystal River, Florida, the sea cows gravitate towards the warm waters of Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs as temperatures decrease. When winter arrives, they seek refuge in the warm water springs and subsequently migrate to distant locations during summer. 

So what are some fun facts about manatees?

1. Three distinctive species.

Three species of manatees exist: the Amazonian Manatee, West Indian Manatee, and West African Manatee. All three have a relation to the dugong and are vulnerable, facing the risk of extinction. Boat collisions, habitat destruction, toxic red tides, and hunting pose threats to their population.

2. Manatees belong to the Order Sirenia.

Animals in the Order Sirenia are known as sirenians, encompassing manatees, dugongs, and the extinct Steller’s sea cow. They possess a characteristic broad body, flat tail, and two forelimbs. Coastal ocean waters of the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific constitute their primary habitat. The most noticeable distinction between the living members of the Order Sirenia—dugongs and manatees. Dugongs feature a forked tail, whereas manatees display a round tail. Elephants are the closest living relatives of sirenians—manatees evolved from the same land animals as elephants more than 50 million years ago. Fossil records depict a considerably more diverse array of sirenians than what currently exists. Dugongs and manatees coexisted in various habitats throughout their range.

3. Closest living relatives.

Mammals like walruses and seals closely resemble manatees in shape. However, manatees are not related to these animals; instead, they share a close relationship with land animals such as hyraxes and elephants. Manatees possess thick skin and 3-4 toenails, traits they share with elephants. Additionally, manatees exhibit a shrunken snout, which represents a reduced version of the elephant’s trunk. Similarly, manatees employ their prehensible lips to grasp and pull food into their mouths, much like elephants use their trunks. Unlike most animals with pointed hearts, both elephants and manatees have hearts with a rounded bottom.

4. They are the mermaids seen by explorers.

Sailors at sea who spotted manatees gave rise to the myth of mermaids. However, contemporary understanding deems such sightings as mirage-like hallucinations caused by sleep deprivation, dehydration, or malnutrition on the part of the sailors. Christopher Columbus and other early explorers asserted that they had observed female figures swimming in the ocean, labeling them as mermaids. Today, the exact description they provided for these supposed mermaids aligns most accurately with manatees. However, there are only slight and explainable variations. Manatees have the scientific name Sirenia, derived from Greek sirens—dangerous sea nymphs who enticed sailors with their song, luring them and their vessels toward rocky shores. “Sirenia” is also an alternate term for mermaids. Current understanding confirms that these encounters were, in fact, with manatees.

5. Reason they are called sea cows.

The name “sea cows” is attributed to manatees due to their inclination towards grazing. They also possess a stout, cow-like appearance. Manatees inhabit shallow coastal areas and rivers, where they consume sea grasses, mangrove leaves, and algae. They graze on both freshwater and saltwater vegetation. They dedicate almost half the day to munching on their food, consuming 10% of their body weight in plant mass daily. Given that a manatee’s weight can reach up to 3,000 pounds, they ingest a substantial amount of vegetation each day.

6. Manatees don’t bite.

Manatees possess a mouthful of teeth but refrain from biting. They employ their teeth to munch on seagrass and other forms of plant life. Manatees stand as significant eaters—the largest herbivores in the ocean, measuring nearly 14 feet in length and weighing up to 3,000 pounds. They devote a substantial portion of their waking hours to eating, consuming 5-10% of their body weight in greenery daily. The act of chewing wears down their teeth, yet manatees consistently grow new teeth throughout their entire lives, akin to their elephant relatives. Nevertheless, manatees only grow new teeth six times during their lifespan. The fresh teeth emerge at the rear, displacing the old ones towards the front.

7. Small, smooth brain.

Manatees have a smooth brain, which is the smallest brain in terms of the ratio of their brain to their body size among all mammals. However, the brain of manatees has similar ins and outs of cortical folds like that of humans and other mammals and boasts considerable cognitive capacity. So the tiny brain does not mean manatees are stupid. And while they may not be as clever as dolphins, manatees can learn to undertake basic tasks.

Experimentally, the animals have been involved in color-differentiating tasks with a lot of success. In terms of communication, the gentle giants communicate with squeaking squealing sounds. Manatees do not make very loud sounds, but they are vocal animals with individual vocalizations. They can make sounds to communicate fear or anger in socializing, and to find each other, such as when a baby calf looks for her mother.

8. Manatees need warm water to survive.

Manatees require warm water. Due to their low metabolic rates and limited fat protection against cold water, they prefer water that maintains a temperature of 72 degrees or higher. Despite their blubbery appearance, they lack sufficient blubber for warmth retention. Although they may seem well-insulated, their body mass primarily consists of their stomach and intestines. Without proper insulation, water temperatures below 68 degrees can lead to cold stress for them. That is why, when winter arrives, they move to warm water outputs from power plants or to the warm spring-fed waters in Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, where the water temperature is a consistent 72 degrees. In 2010, at least 246 manatees died in Florida due to cold stress from the colder-than-normal winter.

9. No natural predators.

Manatees have no natural predators in the wild. Humans have played a significant role in placing all three manatee species at risk of extinction. In fact, humans cause about half of West Indian Manatee deaths due to boat collisions. Speeding boats are responsible for the high risk faced by manatees, as they are quite buoyant and use their horizontally placed diaphragm and breathing to control their buoyancy, but their average speed of 3-5 miles per hour makes it difficult for them to escape.

At Captain Mike’s, we invite people to experience Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida, which are among the best places in the world to see and snorkel with manatees. When people visit Crystal River, whether for manatee snorkeling or observing the animals from boardwalks, we hope they find the interaction gratifying and carry that experience beyond mere concern, actively contributing to manatee and habitat protection.

We ensure that our visitors comprehend how their actions in the water affect the animals. Therefore, we promote passive observation and interaction with the animals, implying observing without touching. Interaction with the animals is encouraged only when initiated by the animals themselves. Despite their cuddly appearance, the temptation to hug them must be resisted, as touching, disturbing, or harassing these gentle giants can lead to penalties.

By practicing proper manatee etiquette, you can relish your time with the manatees in the water and develop a greater appreciation for them. For more information and facts about manatees and manatee tours in Crystal River, Florida, please visit Captain Mike’s Swimming with the Manatees website.

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