Manatees in the Bahamas

For visitors choosing to go on an ocean adventure, in Nassau Bahamas snorkeling is popular. The warm waters and abundant sea life make snorkeling an appealing activity for novices and expert divers alike. One very characteristic animal a snorkeler may see near the coast line of the Bahamas or Florida is the Florida manatee.

The manatee, officially called Trichechidae Trichechus, is more affectionately known as a sea cow. It is the official state marine mammal of Florida and is considered endangered. Happily however, since it acquired that status in 1967 its numbers have recovered somewhat. Despite its protected status many manatees are injured or killed by small boat propellers every year and even the ones who survive are scarred for life.

The manatee's less than flattering nickname comes mainly from its appearance and placid temperament. It is somewhat blob-like in shape and can reach up to 1300 pounds and be up to 13 feet long. It is generally a dark grey color, with eyes on the side of its rather serious looking face. It has two fins, a paddle-like tail, and a flexible mouth that it uses to grasp and eat its plant diet. It also, adorably, has whiskers. A manatee's teeth, like a shark, are constantly replacing themselves, but unlike a shark it only usually has twelve or so teeth in its head at a time.

A female manatee is usually a little bigger than a male and is pregnant for a year before giving live birth to a single calf. They only have one calf every two years or so, which is one reason why the species is endangered. Babies are only about a tenth as big as their parents and breast feed for about a year and a half.

Manatees prefer to live in warm, shallow, coastal waters. They can be found off the eastern coast of the Americas from Georgia to Brazil, as well as off the western coast of Africa. Their coastal location is great news for divers hoping to catch a glimpse of them, but is one of the reasons they are so often hit by boats. These gentle, mellow creatures are protected by law from harassment, attacks or capture. Divers should therefore admire them from a distance to avoid getting in any trouble with local law enforcement.

Manatees are mainly herbivores and use their lips to feed, though they will occasionally also eat a fish. They also use their fins to scoop plant life towards their face, as well as to scoot along the shallow ocean bottom while feeding. They usually sleep half the day and spend the other half of the day eating. They take a break to breath every 3 to 20 minutes. Though they don't usually move very fast, they can put on a short burst of speed if needed. Though smart, they are not aggressive, which is just one more reason to make sure these gentle giants are protected.

The manatee has many local fans in the Florida and Bahamas area, and rightly so. Snorkelers are often awed by their size, though their gentle nature precludes fear. While there are many amazing sights to be seen while snorkeling, manatees are surely among the most spectacular.