The Fascinating Manatee
Yes, there are manatees in our area!
While we can’t guarantee you’ll see one, your chances are best on a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard tour through our pristine waterways, especially when the waters are warm. In Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, you can find educational tours and watersports rentals to explore our Blueway Trails. Download the Blueway Trail Guide here.
Southwest Florida manatees are the West Indian subspecies, which can weigh up to 1,800 pounds and reach 10 feet long, but they may still be difficult to see. Here's a tip from the experts at SUP Englewood: wear polarized sunglasses to cut the glare and allow you to see under the water.
Shouldn’t it be “Sea Elephant?”
Manatees are known as “sea cows”, as they’re purely vegetarian and spend their time grazing on sea grasses. This, in turn, helps the environment: shorter grasses mean healthier sea grass beds.
Although they look like a walrus or even an elephant seal, manatees are not related to any other marine mammals. Their closest relatives are elephants.
All in the Family
All the manatee’s relatives are land animals: elephants, aardvarks, and hydraxes—a mammal that looks rather like a chubby brown otter without the tail, which lives only in Africa and parts of the Middle East.
The similarities with elephants are significant: they have the same type of skin and stiff hair around the mouth; the teeth of both are constantly replaced as new ones form in the back of the jaw and move forward; and both species have distinct nails—on the tips of the toes for elephants and the tip of the flippers for West African and West Indian manatees.
But why would a manatee have toenails? Although the nails are largely vestigial now, they evolved from a four-legged land mammal, likely a wading species, which used the toenails for traction and possibly digging.
The Mermaid Myth
Manatees are classified under the order Sirenia, which contains only four herbivorous species under two distinct branches. Dugongs and the extinct, gigantic, cold-water Steller’s sea cow (30 feet long) are under the Dugongidae branch, and Trichechidae is the branch containing the three species of manatee.
Sirenia comes from the word “siren,” those dangerous, island-dwelling creatures who lured ancient Greek mariners to rocky shores to crash their ships. The Greeks first envisioned sirens as half-bird bird-half half-woman creatures, but depictions slowly changed from fearsome to beautiful. Across the Middle Ages, in part due to their island locations, they gradually became seen as half-woman and half-fish, and the mermaid mythos was born.
It’s thought that the myth was reinforced by sailors catching glimpses of manatees and dugongs…from various distances, and with most of the animal under the water, that is.
Breathing and Buoyancy
Manatees must breathe every 20 minutes, so even when they’re asleep, their bodies will surface for air, then sink back down while the manatee sleeps on.
The lungs are located along the back, on either side of the spine, and they replace about 90% of the oxygen with every breath. In comparison, humans replace, at best, about 10% per breath.
They’re Never Asking to be Petted
Because they’re inherently curious and have no natural enemies, manatees have no qualms about approaching humans. They may even reach out and touch or brush against you in passing. This does not mean they’re asking to be petted, however. It’s never ok to touch a manatee or any other animal in the wild.
It’s illegal to touch or feed manatees—and all other wild animals—for your safety and theirs.
These giant but gentle creatures are slow-moving, have no fight or flight instincts, and live in shallow water, surfacing often to breathe and eat, so they’re always vulnerable to boat and jet ski strikes. Even if you’re on a paddleboard or canoe, never float over the top of a manatee, as they may surface at any moment.
Let this serve as another reminder to always abide by wake restrictions and to keep an eye out for manatees when you’re on the water, no matter the vessel.
If You See an Injured Manatee
First, observe the manatee and take note of its injury, its movement or lack thereof, and if there are other manatees around. Taking a picture is always a good idea. This Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission page details all the questions the manatee assessment team will ask and is a good guide on what to look for.
