Why Do Manatees Eat So Much?

Manatees eat for an average of six to eight hours a day.

The average adult manatee is 10 feet long and weighs about 1,000 pounds. Because of its immense size, the manatee, also known as a sea cow, requires a lot of food. The manatee is the only sea animal that is 100 percent vegetarian. It survives by eating manatee, turtle, shoal and wigeon grasses.

Amount of Food

Scientists have estimated an adult manatee eats approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of its body weight in food daily. That means the average adult manatee consumes 100 to 150 pounds of food per day.

Conserve Heat

Scientists believe that the manatee's large size and metabolic rate requires it to eat a lot of plants to conserve heat. It needs a large amount of food to help keep it warm in the cool winter waters.

Digestion Energy

Since manatees spend so much time eating, they need to consume large amounts of food to replace energy spent on digestion. Their food intake helps fuel their continuous-eating regimens.

References

• Manatee: FAQ
• Save the Manatee: FAQ