Heidi's Florida Manatee Page

Information

Trichechus manatus latirostris, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is a grayish-brown, walrus-like animal weighing on average between 800-1,200 pounds and growing to approximately 12.7 feet in length. They are mammals, hence they breathe air, have body hair and nurse their young.

Manatees have a round, flattened paddle-shaped tail, and two front flippers. These flippers are used in steering while swimming, as well as for holding their food. While underwater, flaps close over their nostrils, to prevent water from interfering with breathing.

The newborn calves range from 3-5 feet long, and beginning only several weeks after birth, they start eating plants, such as seagrasses and algae.

Manatees are completely harmless and nonaggressive and are often shy and reclusive. The elephant is its closest relative.

There are approximately 3,200 manatees remaining in the southeastern U.S. and they are concentrated in Florida year-round. During cold weather, manatees are attracted to the warm-water discharges of five FPL plants. Approximately 1,200 animals have been counted with aerial surveys at these facilities.

Heidi's Florida Manatee Page

(This page built for my wonderful wife Heidi for her birthday)

She has also adopted "Squeaky", a Florida manatee born on June 13th, 2011.

annie and calf 07-26-2014