Manatee season started November 15 and runs through to March 31. As air and water temperatures drop, manatees begin moving south for warmer water refuge, and slower seasonal speed limits go into effect. Boaters are cautioned to be on the lookout for greater numbers of manatees moving into the waterways. When the weather is cold, the majority of manatees can be found in the warm-water refuges. When temperatures are warm, manatees move into surrounding canals and the Intracoastal Waterway to forage, increasing the chance of manatee/boater interaction.

Boaters should be aware that many seasonal manatee protection zones go into effect throughout the state on November 15 and run thru March 31. For information about manatee protection zones by county, including seasonal changes, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website and click on “Data and Maps.” At the bottom of the page there is information on FWC Manatee COLD-weather changes to speed zones.

Statewide, 86 manatees were killed by boats in 2015 with one of those deaths occurring in Broward County. From January through October 2016, 89 manatees were killed by boats in Florida.

Manatees can be difficult to see as they often swim and rest just below the water’s surface. To avoid striking manatees, vessel operators should obey all posted speed limits, wear polarized sunglasses to help spot them in the water, and watch for the large, telltale circular slicks on the surface of the water (manatee “footprints”) that indicate the presence of manatees.

If you see a sick, injured, or deceased manatee, contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Number at (888) 404-FWCC (3922), *FWC or # FWC on a cell phone, or text tip@myfwc.com. It is very helpful to have the following information to help support manatee protection:

–  What is the exact location of the manatee?
–  Is the manatee alive?
–  How long have you been observing it?
–  What is the approximate size?
–  What is the location of the closest public boat ramp to the manatee?
–  Can you provide a contact number where you can be reached for further information?

While the basics regarding manatee reproduction are known, researchers admit that there is still a great deal to learn about. Females are ready to mate at approximately 5 years of age. It takes almost twice that long for males who mature at approximately 9 years of age. When it is time to mate, you will see a group of five or six males with only one or two females in the group.

A fact that many people do not realize is that the manatee can reproduce any time of the year. The additional hormones in the female manatees will be increased though and then the males will respond to it. Researchers are not quite sure what triggers the hormones in the females, but it is important to understand that not all females end up having their calves at the same time of the year.

Female manatees will mate with several of the males in the group. This means that the males compete with each other to become the first to mate with her, as is the case with many other types of aquatic mammals. This process ensure the highest possible chance that the female will successfully conceive a calf before the mating process has been finished for the season. Females only mate every other year due to the long gestation period. However, it can be up to five years between the times the female will have a calf, due to the conditions of her environment. When a manatee is stressed or food is scarce she will not want to take part in the mating process.

It takes a full 12 months after conception for a calf to be born. Usually there is only one at a time, but there have been reports of twins being born. The mothers take very good care of their babies and nurse them until they are between a year and two years old. The baby manatees are also introduced to various types of plant life to feed on when they are a few weeks old.

When a manatee calf is born, it weighs approximately 70 pounds and is about 6 feet long. The calf is first nourished from the milk that the mother produces. The nipples are located behind the flippers. The calves know how to swim immediately and they suckle as the mother moves slowly through the water to find her own food.

Young manatees are very curious and they can try to eat something that isn’t good for them. The mothers do their best to keep them safe and away from anything that can cause them harm. This includes predators, such as crocodiles and alligators. Mothers are typically very vigilant in protecting their young and themselves from any danger. Their slow-moving nature may contribute to their ability to bet evaluate their surroundings.

These roly-poly herbivores just may be the teddy bears of the sea. But keep an eye out when boating; they don’t move so fast.  Despite their size and stubbly snout, manatees seem cute and cuddly to many ocean visitors. 

1. Manatees are typically found in shallow coastal areas and rivers where they feed on sea grass, mangrove leaves, and algae. These herbivores munch on food for almost half the day, eating ten percent of their body weight in plant mass every day. With weights of up to 1,200 pounds, that is a whole lot of greenery!
2. West Indian  and West African manatees spend their lives on the cusp between salty and fresh water. They are able to maintain the correct balance in their bodies through an internal regulation system that works with the kidney to make sure salt concentrations never get too high. It is believed that West Indian manatees require some access to freshwater (PDF) in order to stay hydrated, but they are able to easily move between the two ecosystems. 
3. Warm water is a must for the West Indian and West African manatee species. With low metabolic rates and minimal fat protection from cold water, they stick to water that is 60 degrees or warmer. They may look fat and insulated, but the large body of the manatee is mostly made up of their stomach and intestines! In colder months, they find their way to warm river tributaries or warm water outputs from power plants. In 2010 at least 246 manatees died in Florida due to cold stress from the colder-than-normal winter.
4. Manatees go to the surface of the water every three to five minutes to breathe although they can remain underwater longer, holding their breath for up to 20 minutes. When they do take a breath, 90 percent of the air in their lungs is replaced (whereas humans tend to replace about 10 percent).
5. The Amazonian manatee  lives entirely in freshwater rivers throughout South America in the Amazon Basin. It is hard to estimate their numbers due to their secretive nature and the murky water where they often live. A fourth dwarf manatee species was described in the mid-2000s, but this claim was called into question and it is believed to actually be a juvenile Amazonian manatee. The main threat to this species is illegal harpoon hunting for subsistence.
6. Dugongs in the same order as manatees, spend all of their time in coastal ocean waters of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific and they don’t ever venture into freshwater. Although they look similar to manatees, dugongs have a more whale-like fluke compared to the round, paddle-like tail that you see on manatees.
7. The closest living relatives of sirenians are elephants. Manatees evolved from the same land animals as elephants over 50 million years ago and the fossil record shows a much more diverse group of sirenians than we have today, with dugongs and manatees living together throughout their range.
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