The
Florida manatee is a native species found in all parts of the State.
Protections for Florida manatees were first enacted in 1893. Today,
they are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, Florida
Statutes and are federally protected by both the Marine Mammal
Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Manatees
are herbivores, which means they eat plants. Also known as a "sea cow,"
manatees usually spend up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrasses and
other aquatic plants. A manatee can consume up to 10 percent of its body
weight in aquatic vegetation daily. The manatee uses its muscular lips
to tear plants much like an elephant uses its trunk.
Manatees are mammals. They must surface approximately every five minutes
to breathe, but can hold their breath for as long as twenty minutes when
resting. The manatee's nose is usually the only part of its body that
comes out of the water when it breathes. If they are using a lot of
energy, they may surface to breathe as often as every 30 seconds.
Manatees rest from 2 to 12 hours a day either suspended near the water's
surface or lying on the bottom, usually for several hours at a time.
