Manatee Lagoon is a good place to go to observe manatees in their natural habitat. From the observation deck you can spy on these gentle giants during the cooler winter months when they seek the warmer waters that come out of the nearby power station. Be sure to visit the Manatee Lagoon education center where you can see exhibits and learn interesting facts about manatees.
Facts about manatees
Manatees are mammals and need to breathe air just like us humans. They live in the water and come up every 5 minutes or so to take a breath. When resting, manatees can hold their breath up to 20 minutes, but if they are very active, they must come up more often. This is likely why manatees tend to live in shallow coastal waters and rivers, such as the Lake Worth Lagoon where the discovery center is located. We sometimes see them when we’re diving at the Blue Heron Bridge nearby.
Despite their chubby-looking shape, manatees don’t have a lot of fatty tissue to insulate them from the cold, they are all muscle! Their large size is mainly due to the size of their stomachs and intestines. They are herbivores and can eat about 10% of their body weight in seagrass every day. When eating, manatees use their flippers to dig for food along the bottom and then scoop it up towards their lips.
West Indian manatees can grow to over 10 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds with the largest recorded being 15 feet and almost 3,650 pounds. That’s almost two tons!
The manatees closest living relatives are elephants. Like elephants, manatees have thick skin and small nails at the end of their flippers that resemble elephants’ toenails. They use their short trunk-like snout to forage for food like elephants do with their trunks. Just like their land relative, manatees also take care of their young and sometimes even adopt orphans. After a period of gestation of one year, a mother will nurse her calf for an additional two years.
Female manatees are ready to mate and reproduce at the age of 5, males become fertile at approximately 9 years of age.
They can live up to about 60 years but sadly many manatees die prematurely. Some die of hypothermia when the water temperature drops below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. But other factors have also contributed to the premature death of manatees. Algae blooms and urban expansion lead to the destruction of manatee habitats and seagrass causing manatees to die of starvation.
Once numerous all over Florida, the slow-moving curious creatures also fall victim to propeller accidents. They generally swim at 3-5 miles per hour (too slow to get out of the way of a fast-moving boat) but have been known to do short bursts of up to 20 miles per hour.
As recently as 2010 there were fears of extinction with only about 5,000 manatees living in Florida. Now the estimated population of manatees is over 6,000. Recently removed from the endangered list, manatees remain threatened and are protected under the Marine Mammal Act. It is illegal in Florida to harm a manatee or even to approach or feed one.
Best time to see manatees
Wintertime is the best time to visit the Manatee Lagoon or to see manatees in other in-land waters and streams. Crystal River and Homosassa Springs are popular with those hoping to get in the water with them, but you can stay dry and view them from a viewing deck too. Another place to observe manatees is from the Manatee Observation Deck at Canaveral National Seashore. Or you just might get lucky and see them swimming in one of Florida numerous inlets, rivers, and canals where they congregate to escape the cold.
Fun fact about manatees
Manatees are also linked to legends of mermaids. Centuries ago, sailors reported seeing mermaids while at sea. Perhaps, too much rum or too long a period away from women on their long voyages! In all likelihood, these mystical creatures were actually curious manatees! (I’m missing the similarity, but I guess I’m not a drunken sailor that’s been at sea for months!)
Manatee Lagoon opening hours and admission:
- Daily 9 am to 4 pm during manatee season (Nov. 15 – March 31) closed Mondays (April 1 – Nov. 14)
- Free admission and parking
