How Manatees Became Endangered

Why Manatees
Are An Endangered Species

Sometimes a manatee's face can appear very sad, tired...almost as if the animal can foresee the fate that may await its species.

In the wild, manatees have no natural enemies, and not because of their impressive size. A fully-grown adult manatee may be as long as 12-14 feet and weigh over 2,000 pounds.

Despite its formidable appearance, the manatee is completely defenseless. It has no weapons with which to attack or retaliate. Its teeth are used for grazing on submerged grasses and floating plants.

It is unfortunate the manatee is not more aggressive. Then they could have fought back against some of the harassment that has been inflicted on them.

Because of their tremendous size and strange looks, some people have felt compelled to spear them with pitchforks, blast them with shotguns, attack them with axes, carve their initials in them or deliberately run them down with boats.

The loss of coastal habitat that once nourished rich seagrass beds is the main reason for the decline in manatees. Boats and red tide may cause significant mortality, but it is the sheer loss of vital habitat and seagrasses that place the manatee at greatest risk.

Slightly more than 3,000 manatees are believed to live in Florida waters, up significantly from 10 years ago.

Where to See Florida Manatees

Manatee Photo Gallery

How the Manatee Got Its Name

How Long Do Manatees Live?

How Long Have Manatees Been Around?

Manatees and Elephants

Manatees as Mermaids

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