Mating Habits of the Manatee

The manatee enjoys gliding through the water in slow motion.

Each baby manatee becomes a treasured asset to the preservation of the endangered manatee species. The manatee ranges from Long Island down to the southern Florida coastline. It lives in both freshwater and saltwater. A warm-blooded animal, the manatee does not tolerate cold water well and often seeks out warmth in bays, canals, rivers and estuaries. Often called the sea cow, the manatee spends its time grazing on aquatic plants.

Breeding Age

The female reaches sexual maturity at about 3 to 5 years old. Males develop later and usually reach sexual maturity at 9 years old. An immature male may have viable sperm at around 3 years of age. The male and female look similar in appearance, although the female may be slightly larger than the male. A slow-moving marine mammal, it measures up to 10 feet in length and weighs approximately 1,200 lbs. The manatee does not reproduce often. The female usually produces a calf every two to five years; if the calf dies, the female will usually produce again within the two years following the calf's death.

Breeding

Manatees do not form bonds to mate. When a female cow comes into estrus, several males will pursue her. The group becomes known as a mating herd. Often 12 or more bulls will follow and mate with the female over the course of three or more weeks. The manatee breeds at any time during the year, but the most prominent time appears to occur during the spring and summer months. Breeding takes place in the water. The female manatee will twist, flail and turn violently in an effort to get away from the males. The males vie for her attention by swimming beside her.

Birth

After breeding, the female manatee has a 13-month gestation period before giving birth. She will usually have only one calf, but two-calf births have been known to occur. The calf remains with the mother for a minimum of two years but often stays beside her even after she gives birth to another calf. The newborn calf measures approximately 3 feet in length and usually weights around 75 lbs. The baby appears black in color, unlike its mothers grayish appearance.

Calf

The female will nurse her calf by rolling on her side or back. The newborn has complete swimming capability and can vocalize well. It will nurse form its mother for one to two years. The young manatee enjoys mouthing sea vegetation and nibbling on it, but does not consume it as a predominate diet source until fully weaned. The manatee mother spends six to eight hours a day grazing on sea vegetation. She consumes 60 to 100 lbs. per day.

References

• Amelia Now; Florida's Mild-Mannered Manatee; Cynthia Taylor Thomas
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Living With Manatees
• Save The Manatee Club: Manatee Facts
• SeaWorld: Manatees
• Save The Manatee Club: Manatee FAQ: Breeding and Reproduction
• Save the Manatee Club: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Manatee Mating Herds

Resources

• Tampa Electric: The Manatee
• Florida Museum of Natural History: West Indian Manatee