If you’ve seen all the buzz about our new friends the manatees, I’m sure they’ve sparked your interest as well. Keep reading for some awesome facts about these gentle giants.
The West Indian manatee can be found in coastal waters and connecting rivers from Virginia around the Gulf of Mexico. They inhabit shallow coastal waters, bays, estuaries lagoons and rivers. Manatees are able to move freely from saltwater to freshwater. They often congregate at sources of warm water such as natural springs in Florida and power plant discharges. Manatees have nomadic tendencies, pausing in areas that supply their needs and then moving on.
• Manatees are herbivores, mainly grass eaters.
• Manatees can not survive in water temperatures below 68 degrees for long periods of time.
• Active manatees needs to surface for air every 4 to 6 minutes and while resting manatees may stay down as long as 20 minutes.
• Manatees spend between 6 to 8 hours feeding which equals to about 10% of their body weight.
• Manatees in the wild live to be around 30 years and manatees in captivity live to be around 50 to 60 years of age.
• Female manatees mature around 5 years of age and males 6 to 7 years of age.
• Gestation period is 13 months. Birth size and weight approximately 39 inches 40 to 50 pounds.
• Manatees mostly give birth to single calf, but it has been known to give twins.
• Mothers will nurse their young up to 2 1/2 years.
There are many amazing wildlife adventures to be had here on the space coast, especially right here in the Melbourne area.