Manatee Appreciation Day
Gentle giants of the sea, these lovable creatures spend their days munching on seagrass and swimming in crystal clear waters.
Manatees are aquatic mammals known for their immense size and jowly appearance, as well as their lumbering way of moving while they graze on the seafloor. Manatees might not make the list of cutest animals, but enough manatee enthusiasts exist for there to be a Manatee Appreciation Day!
How to Celebrate Manatee Appreciation Day
Show some love and affection for these creatures of the sea with some of these ideas for celebrating Manatee Appreciation Day:
Attend a Manatee Appreciation Day Event
Manatee Appreciation Day events usually take place in areas located on the water where there are large manatee populations, such as Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Zoos and marine biology centers may offer special manatee-related programming on Manatee Appreciation Day.
Make a Donation to Save the Manatees
Some participants might feel good about supporting the manatees by making a donation to an organization that helps these cows of the sea. Save the Manatees Club, the Manatee Haven, and the World Wildlife Fund are just a few of the charities that help fund the protection, rescue and rehabilitation of endangered manatees.
One cool option for helping is offered by the Save the Manatees Club, where participants can opt to symbolically adopt a manatee. The program can be sponsored monthly or annually and offers participants information about their chosen manatee as well as gifts at various levels.
Learn Fun Facts About Manatees
A super way to show support for these special animals on Manatee Appreciation Day might be to learn some interesting bits of trivia about them that can be shared in order to raise awareness about their plight.
Here are some important things to know about manatees that can be shared in celebration of the day:
-
Manatees regularly come up for air
Though they never leave the water, manatees swim near the surface and emerge for air every five minutes or so, but can stay submerged for as long as 20 minutes.
-
Manatees are herbivores
These large and unassuming creatures typically eat seagrass and other plants along the bottom of the sea.
-
Manatees continuously replace teeth
All throughout their lives, the older teeth in a manatee’s mouth will fall out and be replaced by new teeth that grow in at the back.
-
Manatees have small brains
The ratio of a manatee’s brain to its body mass is the smallest of any mammal on earth. Also, their brains are smooth instead of bumpy.
Manatee Appreciation Day Timeline
1494
Christopher Columbus Recorded a Likely Manatee Sighting
Near what is now the Dominican Republic, Columbus writes of seeing “mermaids” that modern scholars believe were West Indian manatees, giving one of the earliest European accounts of these animals in the Americas.
1758
Linnaeus Gives Manatees Their Scientific Name
In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, Carl Linnaeus formally describes the West Indian manatee as Trichechus manatus, placing manatees within his broader system of animal classification.
1880
James Murie Publishes Detailed Manatee Study
Zoologist James Murie publishes “Further observations on the manatee” in the Journal of the Linnean Society, providing influential descriptions of manatee anatomy, feeding, and behavior based on a captive specimen.
1967
U.S. Lists West Indian Manatee for Federal Protection
The West Indian manatee is listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Preservation Act, one of the earliest nationwide legal protections for the species in the United States.
1978
Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act Creates Statewide Refuge
Florida enacts the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, declaring all state waters a refuge for manatees and authorizing speed zones and other measures to reduce boat-related injuries and deaths.
History of Manatee Appreciation Day
Manatee Appreciation Day is devoted to raising awareness about these quirky and massive creatures that live under the water. Affectionately known by the nickname the “sea cow”, manatees are unique and beloved but, unfortunately, they are also on the list of threatened species.
The lives of manatees are under threat for a number of reasons. While hunting manatees is usually illegal in most places, they continue to be poached for their meat and hides, leaving their populations at risk. Loss of habitat is one of the reasons that manatees are struggling to survive in the oceans and seas, when their natural nesting areas are destroyed due to human intrusion and development.
In addition, manatees can be tragically injured or even killed when they come into contact with boats. It is important to increase manatee awareness so that these fascinating animals will continue to exist in the future!
Manatee Appreciation Day got its start more than 40 years ago, in 1981, when the day was established by the Save the Manatees Club in collaboration with singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett as well as former US Senator Bob Graham.
The Save the Manatee Club continues to sponsor the day annually, offering resources and opportunities for people to get involved and help. The website provides users with access to manatee information, videos, quizzes and more.
Celebrating Manatee Appreciation Day is an ideal way to raise awareness and help these at risk animals to have a fighting chance!
Manatee Appreciation Day FAQs
Why are manatees sometimes called “sea cows,” and what do they actually eat?
Manatees are nicknamed “sea cows” because they are large, slow-moving herbivores that graze for many hours a day, much like land-dwelling cows.
They primarily eat seagrasses and other aquatic vegetation, and an adult can consume about 10 percent of its body weight in plants each day, which helps keep seagrass beds and coastal ecosystems healthy.
How do manatees breathe if they spend most of their lives underwater?
Manatees are mammals and must surface to breathe air through their nostrils.
They typically come up every few minutes when active, but because they can slow their heart rate and metabolism, a resting manatee may stay submerged for up to 15 to 20 minutes before taking its next breath. [1]
Where do different manatee species live around the world?
There are three living species of manatees, each with its own range. The West Indian manatee, which includes the Florida subspecies, is found in the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America.
The Amazonian manatee lives only in freshwater in the Amazon River basin, while the West African manatee inhabits coastal and river systems along West and Central Africa. All depend on relatively warm waters to survive.
Why are boat strikes such a serious threat to manatees?
Boat strikes are dangerous to manatees because the animals swim slowly, often near the surface, and may not move away quickly from oncoming watercraft.
Propellers and hull impacts can cause deep cuts, broken bones, and internal injuries. In places like Florida, watercraft collisions are one of the leading known causes of manatee deaths and long-term injuries.
Is it safe or legal to feed or touch wild manatees?
In many areas, including the United States, it is illegal to harass, feed, or attempt to ride or closely handle wild manatees, because such contact can change their natural behavior and draw them into dangerous areas such as boat traffic or marinas.
Wildlife agencies advise watching manatees quietly from a distance, giving them plenty of space to surface and move, and never offering them food, water, or objects.
How are climate change and water quality problems affecting manatees?
Manatees are vulnerable to climate and water quality changes because they rely on healthy seagrass beds and warm-water habitats.
Rising water temperatures, altered freshwater flows, and nutrient pollution can fuel algal blooms that kill seagrass, leaving manatees with less food, while cold snaps or loss of natural warm springs can lead to cold stress, illness, and starvation events in some regions.
What protections exist for manatees in the United States?
In the United States, West Indian manatees are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, which prohibit harming, harassing, or killing them and require habitat protection.
These laws support measures such as slow‑speed zones for boats, rescue and rehabilitation programs, and monitoring of populations and water quality in key manatee habitats. [2]
Also on ...
View all holidays
International Waffle Day
Start your day off right with a warm and crispy breakfast treat topped with your favorite fruits, syrups, and whipped cream.
American Red Cross Giving Day
The American Red Cross has given healthcare to those in need for generations, from volunteer blood drives to mobile vaccination sites. Volunteer to help!
Tolkien Reading Day
Take a journey through a magical world filled with brave heroes, fierce battles, and unforgettable adventures in a beloved classic series.