Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus)
- Manatees of all ages are regular visitors to North Carolina
- Winter, in FL and GA, but in summer, range as far north as VA
- Manatees can be found in both fresh and salt water
- Manatees that remain in NC into the Fall risk cold-stunning and
often require rescue and relocation
Photo credit: Patrick Rose
Climate change may be contributing to range expansion
in manatees
North Carolina
211 Sightings
9 Strandings
Guidelines for protecting Tips for boat, including personal
watercraft, operators
Florida n Observe and follow all boating regulatory
zone signs.
n Wear polarized sunglasses so you can see
Manatees
where manatees are located underwater.
n Slow down. Reducing speed gives you a greater
chance to avoid manatees and for them to
avoid your vessel.
n Use marked channels when boating. Channel
depth reduces the likelihood of crushing or
hitting manatees in shallow waters.
Manatee Protection Zones
There are established zones to protect
manatees from collisions with boats and
harassment. Here are the typical signs
found on Florida’s waterways:
About Florida manatees Idle Speed Zones
MANATEE ZONE Designate a protected area
Florida manatees are a native subspecies of the
IDLE where boats are not permitted
West Indian manatee. They are a grayish-brown
SPEED to go any faster than necessary
marine mammal with a paddle shaped tail and two
NO WAKE to maintain steerage and make
flippers.
headway while producing no wake.
Like all mammals, manatees have hair, which is
sparsely distributed on their body, with the area Slow Speed Zones
around its mouth having stiff whiskers. Adults MANATEE ZONE Designate a protected area
average 10 feet in length and about 1,200 pounds SLOW where boats must be fully off
but can reach over 13 feet and more than 3,000 SPEED plane and completely settled
pounds. At birth, a calf is about three to four feet MINIMUM WAKE and level in the water while mov-
long and 60 to 70 pounds. ing with only minimum wake.
Manatees eat plants along rivers, coastal areas Motorboats Prohibited Zones
and at the water’s surface. At rest, they can hold MANATEE ZONE Designate a protected area
their breath for up to 20 minutes; when active, MOTORBOATS that prohibits all entry by all
they surface to breathe about every three to five power-driven vessels or those
minutes. PROHIBITED operating under mechanical
© Terri Calleson, USFWS
They live in both freshwater and saltwater means of propulsion.
habitats, including rivers, springs, estuaries, bays No Entry Zones
We all have a shared responsibility to and canals. Manatees cannot survive for prolonged NO ENTRY Designate a protected area
protect Florida’s resources and pass periods in water that is colder than 68°F, so natural that prohibits all entry including
on to future generations the beauty, springs and power plant warm-water discharge boating, swimming, wading,
ZONE
wildlife, water and natural resources canals provide important habitat for manatees fishing and diving activities.
we have today. during colder months.
Female manatees begin to breed between five Report collisions with manatees
and seven years of age and are pregnant for 13 You will not be cited if you accidently collide with
months. Calves spend their first two years nursing a manatee while obeying posted speed zone
Florida Fish and Wildlife and learning how to survive before leaving their restrictions. Please report any vessel collisions
Conservation Commission mothers. Generally, wild manatees live to about 30 with manatees as soon as possible to increase the
MyFWC.com/Manatee years of age. manatee’s chance of survival.
Tips for paddlers Manatees and the law
n Use caution when paddling near seagrass Manatees are protected by the Marine Mammal
beds, sanctuaries or refuge area boundaries Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species
as manatees frequent these areas. Give Act of 1973 and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act
manatees space to move freely in their habitat. of 1978. It is illegal to feed, harass, harm, pursue,
n Paddle your vessel to avoid traveling over hunt, shoot, wound, kill, annoy or molest manatees.
resting manatees. Manatees must surface to
Examples of illegal activities include:
breathe and will startle awake if you are in
the way. Startled manatees may quickly flee n Giving food or water to manatees, or using
the area, potentially moving into harm’s food or water to attract manatees
way. Their quick movements can also cause n Separating a mother and calf
Karen Parker, FWC
small vessels to capsize. n Disturbing manatee mating herds
n Lower your anchor slowly when securing your n Pursuing or chasing manatees either while
Tips for viewing wild manatees
vessel as there may be resting manatees below. n Wear polarized sunglasses so you can see swimming or with a vessel
where manatees are located underwater. n Disturbing resting manatees
n Hitting, jumping on, standing on, holding on
n Watch manatees from a distance to limit
disturbance. Be mindful of resting manatees. to or attempting to ride manatees
n Blocking a manatee’s path
n Never pursue, chase or disturb any manatee.
If a manatee stops feeding, swims toward you n Fishing for or attempting to hook or catch
or changes its behavior, you are too close. a manatee
n Speak quietly and avoid making loud noises
when you are near wildlife areas to avoid Call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline:
disturbance. 888-404-FWCC (3922)
n Do not separate a mother and calf. #FWC on cell phones,
n Watch out for “swirling” when manatees dive. or text Tip@MyFWC.com
The swirls look like a large “footprint” on the to report manatee deaths, injuries,
water’s surface. harassment, accidents, or ones
n Never offer food or water to manatees because orphaned or distressed.
it alters their foraging behavior and attracts
them to areas where they may be harmed.
Tips for divers and snorkelers n Do not touch, remove or damage research
n Consider using snorkel gear when diving near equipment attached to manatees. The tag
manatees as the sound of air bubbles from units help researchers monitor these manatees.
SCUBA gear can disturb them.
Other ways to help manatees:
n Participate in coastal cleanup events. Follow us on:
n Attend boating safety classes or take
online courses.
n Purchase a “Save the Manatee” license
plate or collectible manatee decal from
your tax collector’s office or online. Florida Fish and Wildlife
n Dispose of monofilament line properly at Conservation Commission
Florida Fish and Wildlife
MyFWC.com/Manatee
line recycling bins or drop–off locations to
avoid entangling manatees, birds, marine Conservation
Division Commission
of Habitat and Species Conservation
Imperiled Species Management Section
turtles and other marine life. MyFWC.com
12/2020
