Manatees are large sea animals that live in slow-moving rivers, canals, saltwater bays, areas where rivers meet the sea, and along coastlines. They move to different places throughout the year, spending winters in Florida waters and traveling as far north as Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay. During warmer months, they may be found as far north as Baltimore, Maryland, and as far west as Texas. Manatees are calm and gentle plant-eaters that spend much of their time eating, resting, and moving through water. They can live up to about 60 years and have no natural predators. Some manatees die because of human actions. In the past, people hunted them for their meat, fat, and hides.
Sources of danger
Human activities harm manatee populations. In some areas of South America and the Caribbean, manatees have been used as a food source since before European arrival. In these regions and the Amazon basin, manatees are important in local stories and myths. In many places, manatees are not hunted for food, but in areas like Brazil and the West Indies, hunting and poaching have occurred. Fishing nets and lines can injure manatees, leading to serious infections. Studies show that about 14% of manatees since 1978 had fishing lines in their stomachs and intestines. Some manatees also have missing or damaged fins from getting tangled in these lines.
Some manatee deaths are caused by boat collisions. A 2002 study in Florida found that boat collisions account for 25% of manatee deaths. Boaters in Florida were willing to learn more about manatee conservation and how to avoid harming them. Fertilizer runoff, leaking septic tanks, and wastewater can cause algae blooms that destroy seagrass, which manatees eat. A study found that manatees in Florida and Belize have different levels of metals like copper and zinc in their blood. These differences help doctors in rehabilitation centers care for manatees properly.
Manatees gather in warm water from power plants and springs during cold weather. They cannot survive in cold water because they have a slow metabolism and poor body insulation. If they cannot reach warm water in time, they may suffer from cold stress. Florida Fish and Wildlife’s 2023 report says boat collisions and cold stress are the main causes of manatee deaths. Studies show manatees have good memory and complex social behaviors, and more research is needed to understand them better.
Becoming endangered and legal protection
In the 18th century, the English made Florida a manatee sanctuary and banned hunting manatees. In 1893, Florida laws first protected manatees, and in 1907, the law was changed to fine people $500 or give them six months in jail for harming or killing a manatee. In 1966, the Endangered Species Preservation Act listed the manatee as one of 78 species at risk of extinction. Today, more than 1,300 species are on this list. On March 11, 1967, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added the manatee to the IUCN Red List, a global list of endangered species.
In 1972, the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act protected manatees. This law banned removing manatees from the water and fined people up to $2,000 or gave them one year in jail for breaking the law. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was updated to increase manatee protection. This law made it illegal to harm, touch, or feed endangered species, including manatees. Feeding manatees from boats can make them approach boats and people, increasing the risk of boat collisions or getting caught in nets.
In 1974, the Sirenia Project in Gainesville, Florida, began helping manatees through rescue and documentation. In 1976, Sea World of Florida started a manatee rescue and rehabilitation program. In 1978, the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act was passed, making Florida a refuge for manatees and allowing rules to slow boat speeds in manatee habitats. That year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Audubon Society, and Sea World held a workshop to suggest ways to protect manatees, such as controlling boaters, creating refuges, and improving public education.
In 1979, Florida Governor Bob Graham made November Manatee Awareness Month and created the first manatee protection zones. In 1980, Congress gave $100,000 to the Marine Mammal Commission and started the Federal Manatee Recovery Plan. In 1981, Bob Graham and Jimmy Buffett formed the Save the Manatee Committee, which later became the Save the Manatee Club. Both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act were renewed in 1988. In the 1990s, more government money, research, and protection plans helped manatees.
In 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service updated the Manatee Recovery Plan to focus on reducing manatee deaths, protecting habitats, and monitoring populations. In the 2000s, Florida counties worked with federal and state groups to create conservation plans.
As of January 7, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed moving the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened status because of improved population and habitat conditions. This change would not remove federal protections, and the agency remains committed to manatee recovery. The estimated manatee population is at least 13,000, with over 6,300 in Florida. In 1991, only about 1,267 manatees were counted in Florida, showing a 400% increase by 2016.
However, in December 2020, an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) began, with more manatee deaths and rescues than usual. In 2021, Florida Wildlife Conservation reported 1,191 manatee deaths, nearly double the 2020 total. Many deaths were due to starvation caused by lost seagrass, which some believe resulted from poor water quality. Environmental groups are debating whether manatees should return to the endangered species list.
Organizations
Many organizations work to increase understanding of the dangers manatees face, collect money for manatee research, and help protect this endangered species. One of the most important groups is the Save the Manatee Club. This non-profit group was started by Bob Graham and Jimmy Buffett to involve the public in manatee protection. The club runs an Adopt a Manatee program that uses its money to support projects that teach people about manatees, study them, rescue and care for injured manatees, and fight for stronger laws to protect them and their homes. The club also helps with public education, volunteer work, and other activities.
Another group working to save manatees is Sirenian International. This group brings together scientists, students, teachers, conservation workers, and the public to support manatee projects worldwide. Members are grouped into three levels based on how much money they give and how much they help the group: participating member, supporting member, and contributing member.
SeaWorld of Florida has helped protect manatees by rescuing and healing injured ones. The theme park has an exhibit called “Manatees: The Last Generation?” that teaches visitors about the importance of saving this endangered species.
A popular way to raise money for manatee research is through the sale of special license plates by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Money from these plates has helped fund manatee protection efforts for many years, with over $34,000,000 collected since 1990. Additional funds come from sales of decals, boat registration fees, and donations. A new design for the license plate was introduced in December 2007.
Manatee Appreciation Day is held on the last Wednesday of March in the United States. Florida celebrates Manatee Awareness Month in November, a time supported by comedian Alec Baldwin.
Conservation outside of the United States
The conservation of manatees is not only a problem in the United States, as human activities have caused the decline of this species around the world. To slow the decline of these animals, more conservation efforts have started in other countries.
For example, Belize is home to some of the largest populations of Antillean manatees in the Caribbean, so its influence on these animals is significant. Early monitoring showed that the manatee population was not changing—it was neither growing nor shrinking. However, as human activity increased, the population was likely to decline in the future. To stop this loss, the government of Belize created special laws to protect manatees. One example is the Manatee Protection Ordinances, which ban harmful human actions such as feeding, hunting, or chasing manatees. Belize also has the Wildlife Protection Act, established in 1981, which includes protections for manatees in section 4. These laws have helped keep manatee populations stable.
In other countries, the focus has been on helping manatees reproduce and grow their numbers. For example, in Mexico, zoos and parks have taken care of injured or sick manatees from across the Caribbean, helping them recover. While in captivity, a breeding program was started to increase population numbers. Some efforts have been successful, but because manatees reproduce slowly, this method is not the easiest way to grow their numbers. Because of this, Mexico also creates laws to protect manatees and their habitats, reducing the need to rescue injured animals.
Another example of manatee conservation in the Atlantic is Brazil’s Manatee Reintroduction Program. For this project, the Brazilian government helped six manatees recover and then released them with tracking devices. These devices allowed scientists to monitor where the manatees lived. This information helped officials plan conservation areas and create laws to better protect the species.
Similar laws and programs are found throughout the Caribbean and other oceans where manatees live. These species are endangered and need protection to ensure their survival.