West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatus
The adult West Indian manatee inhabits warm coastal waters, estuaries, slow rivers, canals, and freshwater springs across the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and southeastern North America. It is a slow-moving herbivore, grazing for hours on seagrasses, floating vegetation, and freshwater plants. Adults are generally gentle but can defend space with their mass, tail, and body shoves when pressed. A notable adaptation is continual tooth replacement, with new molars moving forward as older worn teeth fall out.
- Type
- Water
- Conservation status
- VU
Growth chain
- ?
- West Indian Manatee