Marine mammals
Caribbean manatee
Trichechus manatus
Nicknamed the "sea cow", its peaceful demeanour and habit of grazing on seagrass may have inspired mermaid tales among sailors of old.
🗺️ Geographic range
Coasts and rivers of the Caribbean, from the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, via Florida.
📊 Population
Global population estimated by the IUCN at just over 13,000 mature individuals, mainly threatened by boat strikes and the degradation of seagrass beds.
⚠️ Threats
Vessel strikes
Its slow speed and use of shallow coastal waters make it highly vulnerable to boat strikes.
Source: IUCN — Red List of Threatened Species
Seagrass meadow degradation
The destruction of seagrass meadows, its main food source, reduces its feeding habitats along the coast.
Source: IUCN — Red List of Threatened Species
Habitat
- Atlantic Ocean · Mangroves · Epipelagic zone · Permanent
- Caribbean Sea · Mangroves · Epipelagic zone · Permanent
Behaviour
- Diet
- Seagrass and algae, up to 50 kg a day.
- Hunting
- None: an exclusively herbivorous grazer.
- Reproduction
- Gestation of about 12 months, a single calf, a very strong mother-calf bond.
Physiology
- Anatomy
- A massive, spindle-shaped body, a rounded, paddle-like tail fin.
- Adaptations
- A slow metabolism adapted to a low-energy diet; must stay in warm water to survive.
⚡ Its extraordinary abilities
- Can eat up to 50 kg of aquatic vegetation a day
- Its peaceful habits may have inspired mermaid tales among sailors
If you cross paths with this animal…
Risk: None.
Behaviour: Very peaceful, curious toward humans.
Advice: Slow down boats in frequented areas — collisions are the species' leading cause of death.
💡 Did you know?
- Must surface to breathe every few minutes despite its aquatic lifestyle.
- Sailors are thought to have mistaken its silhouette for a mermaid's.