How Do Manatees Breed?
Manatees, also called sea cows, are aquatic mammals. According to Save the Manatee, manatees are related to elephants and the hyrax, a small, herbivorous mammal. Manatees spend their lives in water habitats, such as shallow rivers and coastal areas. The reproduction rate for manatees is relatively slow because it takes many years before a manatee even reaches sexual maturity and females give birth to only one calf.
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Sexual Maturity
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It takes longer for males to mature. It can take up to five years before a female manatee (or cow) will reach sexual maturity. A male may take up to nine years to reach sexual maturity. However, according to SeaWorld Busch Gardens, it is possible for an adult male manatee to produce sperm when he's about 3 years old.
Estrus
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Manatees won't mate until a female reaches estrus. Male manatees cannot breed with a female until she reaches estrus, the state a female reaches when she's ready to accept a male for mating. Females may reach estrus at any time during the year. Once a female cow has reached estrus, she can be pursued by males for many weeks before she decides to mate.
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Courtship
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Manatees go through a courtship before breeding. As a male tries to gain the attention of a female, he will kiss and caress her. Males also may emit high-pitched sounds to express sexual arousal. One female cow may be encircled by many male manatees. In fact, up to a dozen males may form a mating herd around the female. This can exacerbate a female, and she will try to outrun the overly amorous attentions of the male. According to the Plant Management in Florida Waters, it isn't uncommon for females to try to beach themselves to get away from males.
Breeding
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Manatees aren't monogamous. Manatees are not monogamous. The breeding process can become violent as males vie to be the first to mate with the female. Males will compete with one another, trying to remain as close as possible to the female. The female will mate with as many males as she chooses during the breeding process.
Reproduction
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Manatees prefer to live without companions and lead solitary lives. Once breeding has ended, a pregnant manatee will resume her solitary existence. While breeding can occur during any time of the year, it's more common for reproduction intervals to occur every two to five years because the gestation period for a female is about 13 months. A female will breed sooner if she's experienced the loss of a calf shortly after giving birth.
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References
Resources
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