Instituto MERR
Instituto de Educación, Investigación y Rehabilitación Marina
PARA REPORTAR UN VARAMIENTO, LLAME
302.228.5029
Though rare for the area, Delaware does occasionally see a wayward manatee floating within our waterways
WEST INDIAN MANATEE
(Trichechus manatus)
Anatomy:
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Gray or gray-brown, blotches and scarring from boat propellers are common
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Small head, no neck crease, large and spatulate tail. A rotund body, eyes are small and deeply set, a bristly muzzle with prehensile lips
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Adult Size: 8.2-14.8 ft. up to 3,500 lbs.
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Birth Size: 3.3 ft. about 70lbs
Behavior:
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Slow swimmers, average dives are about 4 minutes, maximum dives at 24 minutes.
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Group near warm water during cold weather
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Herbivorous, eating sea grasses and plants
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Make seasonal inshore-offshore movements in response to temperature change (~1,000 miles roundtrip)
Fun Facts:
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The West Indian manatee is surprisingly agile in water, and individuals have been seen doing rolls, somersaults, and even swimming upside-down.
Group Size:
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They travel alone or in pairs
WEST INDIAN MANATEE
(Trichechus manatus)
Location:
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Inshore and Offshore
Status:
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Endangered but stable
Distribution:
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Warm coastal and inland waters (marine, estuarine, and riverine), but need access to freshwater
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Tropical w. Atlantic Ocean in U.S. waters, primarily peninsular Florida and southeast Georgia, but range from Texas (Gulf Coast) to as far north as Rhode Island
Threats:
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Boat collisions
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Cold-stress
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Toxic algal blooms
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Coastal development and industrial catastrophes
Diet:
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Marine vegetation