Mammal · GBIF taxon 2435296
West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatusAlso known as North American Manatee
West Indian Manatees are massive aquatic mammals with rounded bodies, flexible upper lips, paddle-like forelimbs, and broad flat tails. They move slowly through shallow water to graze and surface regularly for air.
manateeaquatic herbivorewarm-water mammal
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Seagrasses, submerged and floating aquatic plants, shoreline vegetation, and occasional algae
Predators
- large sharks
- crocodilians
- humans
ThreatsVessel strikes, entanglement, habitat loss, harmful algal blooms, cold stress, and reduced forage
HabitatsCoastal bays, estuaries, rivers, lagoons, springs, canals, and warm shallow water
Life spanOften forty to sixty years, with some individuals living longer
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyTrichechidae
- SpeciesTrichechus manatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- A manatee's size can cause accidental injury; never touch, feed, chase, ride, or block it.
- Why it is dangerous
- A very large manatee can accidentally pin, strike, or displace a nearby swimmer or small craft.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Confirm a rounded gray aquatic mammal with paddle forelimbs and a broad flattened tail.
- What to do
- Do not touch, feed, pursue, or swim over it; slow vessels and follow protected-wildlife rules.
- What to notice
- Document scars, tail shape, and body outline only from a legal distance without maneuvering closer.
- Support conservation
- Keep watercraft slow, avoid separating groups, and report injured animals to authorized wildlife responders.
Responsible observation
- Watch: Maintain idle speed and observe from outside the animal's travel path.
- Protect: Give resting, feeding, and mother-calf pairs a wide quiet buffer.
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