World Manatee Day 2025

All animals are precious to me, and the Florida manatee is no exception; it holds a special place in my heart. As it is World Manatee Day, I want to discuss their challenges, recent positive news for them, and how we can help ensure a brighter tomorrow for manatees.

The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. In captivity, a manatee can live up to 65 years, but in the wild, their life expectancy ranges from 3 to 7 years, with only half surviving into their 20s.  West Indian Manatees are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. 

Manatees are often compared to giant sea cows due to their immense size. Some can grow 9 to 10 feet long and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. Because of their size, they are voracious eaters and can spend up to eight hours a day searching for food.

Many Florida manatees inhabit the Indian River Lagoon, which stretches 156 miles along Florida’s east-central coast. The primary food source for the manatees in the lagoon is seagrass, a flowering plant that grows entirely underwater. However, improperly treated sewage, leaking septic systems, fertilizers, and stormwater runoff have led to increasingly frequent harmful algal blooms that obstruct the light necessary for seagrass photosynthesis. This has resulted in the devastating loss of more than 90% of the seagrass biomass.

Besides seagrass serving as a necessary food source for the manatee, it hosts a wide range of ecosystem functions: provides a haven for endangered species like seahorses and jellyfish, absorbs carbon, and can produce up to 10 liters of oxygen per day, as well as it prevents erosion of coastlines. 

But here’s some good news for a change. After years of seagrass restoration in the Indian River Lagoon, this plant is beginning to take hold, providing food for the manatees and enhancing water quality. Although seagrass has not yet returned to its abundant state, this is a positive win for both marine life and humanity. 

Whether you live in Florida or elsewhere, there are many ways we can help protect the manatee. To find out how to assist the Florida manatee, visit Save the Manatee.

References:

1. “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Florida Manatees and Where To See Them.”  The Everglades Foundation. https://www.evergladesfoundation.org/post/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-florida-manatees-and-where-to-see-them

2. “Algae Blooms and Sea Grass Loss.” June 19th, 2024.  Save The Manatee.  https://savethemanatee.org/manatees/algae-blooms/

3. “Why is Seagrass Important?”  Ocean Conservation Trust.  https://oceanconservationtrust.org/ocean-habitats/why-seagrass/