Here are some Manatee Facts:

• Manatees are marine mammals.
• Manatees are also known as sea cows.
• Manatees are gentle, non-aggressive animals.
• There are three species of manatees: West Indian Manatees (Trichechus Manatus), West African Manatees (Trichechus Senegalensis), Amazonian or South American Manatees (Trichechus Inunguis).
• There are also two sub-species of manatees: Antillean Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) and Florida Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris).
• Manatees mainly live in shallow (3ft-10ft) rivers, saltwater bays, canals and marshy costal areas.
• Amazonian manatees live in freshwater.
• Manatees cannot survive in water temperatures below 60 degrees.
• They live in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Amazon Basin and West Africa.
• Adult manatees can grow to be 9ft-13ft long.
• On average manatees weigh between 800-1,300 pounds.  There have been manatees that weighed up to 3,000 pounds!
• Manatees live to be between 40-60 years old.
• Manatees are gray.
• They have two paddle like flippers one on each side of their body and a big flat tail.
• The West Indian and West African Manatees have 3-4 nails on each flipper.
• The flippers help them steer while swimming. Manatees also use their flippers to help them eat.
• They swim by moving their flat tail up and down.
• While swimming sometimes manatees will do flips underwater, roll around and even swim upside down.
• Since manatees are mammals they cannot breathe underwater.
• Manatees usually come up for air every 3-4 minutes but have been known to hold their breath for up to 20 minutes.
• Manatees are slow swimmers.  They usually swim between 3-5 mph.  They can swim up to 20mph for very short distances.
• Manatees spend most of their time eating, resting or traveling.
• Manatees are herbivores meaning they only eat plants although at times manatees will eat small fish.
• Manatees eat turtle grass, different types of algae, water hyacinth and other types of plants in the water.
• Manatees have a large flexible lip that they use to help them eat.
• Manatees eat around 100 pounds of food every day!
• Manatees travel between 40-50 miles every day!
• Manatees have two small eyes one on each side of their head.  Even though they have small eyes manatees have good eyesight.
• Manatees cannot move their neck from side to side.  To see behind them they must turn their entire body!
• Manatees also have good hearing.  They have no earlobes on the outside of their head but two inner lobes one on each side of their head.
• Manatees have 24-32 molars located in the back of their mouths.  When their molars get worn down from when they eat, new teeth (molars) grow in.
• Mom manatees are pregnant for around 12-13 months.
• Baby manatees are called calves.
• Mom manatees only give birth to one manatee at a time.
• When a calf is born the mother manatee brings him/her to the surface to breath.
• Calves live with their mom for two years.
• Manatees spend most of their time alone however, they have been known to interact with other manatees and even play with them. They like to bodysurf with other manatees.
• Manatees will communicate with other manatees by making chirping, whistling and squeaking sounds.  They also make these sounds when they are scared.
• Manatees have a good sense of smell.
• It is illegal to hunt them.
• The only known predator to a manatee is a human.
• Manatees often die from getting hit by boats.
• Manatees also suffer from loss of habitat.
• Like dolphins, manatees are smart can be trained to learn tricks.

Naples, Florida undoubtedly ranks amongst the best places to visit in Florida and manatee eco tours are high on the list of “must-dos” as far as Florida tourist attractions. Manatee tours offered by Manatee Eco-Tours include a boat tour with a close-up view of Florida wildlife. Whether you are a wildlife photography enthusiast or simply a tourist looking for a wonderful adventure tour, Manatee Eco-Tours will exceed your expectations.

Captain Barry and Carol started their eco adventures business in beautiful Naples in 1999. The company started with just one boat and has since added six boats to the fleet, all while bringing visitors out on the waters and offering them an opportunity to see Florida wildlife at a very close range. All Captains are licensed, insured and certified with CPR/First Aid. The Captains also have the experience needed on the water to take you to the areas where you will most likely see manatees and other wildlife and they are also very knowledgeable regarding Florida’s habitat and the ecological struggles of manatees as well as other wildlife, allowing the tours to be informative and educational.

Naples, known for its pristine white sand beaches, is paradise for natural wildlife and home to some of the most diverse and unique ecosystems in the nation. Aside from alligators, a wide variety of birds and large fish, and other kinds of aquatic life that are common to Naples, manatees are a Florida treasure.

Also known as sea cows, these gentle giants are typically found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems along the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish, or salt water. Manatees prefer waters that are approximately three to seven feet in depth, however, along the coast, manatees tend to travel in waters that are about 10 – 16 feet in depth. The warm waters around Naples provide manatees with safe living and breeding areas, the warm water they prefer, and a steady and easy to access food supply.

Manatees, despite their large size (measuring an average of 8 to 13 feet and weighing between 440 and 1,300 pounds), are in fact graceful swimmers. They glide at about 5 miles per hour, but are able to swim approximately 15 miles per hour in short bursts. Other information you are likely to learn about manatees during Manatee Eco-Tours manatee viewing tours may consist of the different species of manatees, parenting, diet, how they are protected by law, what types of behaviors on the water can put manatees at risk of injury or death, how they breathe and how they typically travel.

When traveling along the Southwestern portion of the Sunshine State, stop for a manatee eco-tour and experience all the wonder that makes precious manatees a Florida treasure.