Back to top
Lamantin © MNHN - F-G Grandin

The manatee

The manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, also often called the "sea cow", is a mammal which lives in the coastal areas and rivers of South America.

Profile

Class, order and family :
Mammalia, Sirenia, Trichechidae
Life span :
about 30 years
Size & Weight :
3.50 m in length and up to 600 kg
Gestation period :
11 months, for 1 - 2 calves
Natural habitat :
rivers and coastal areas
Diet :
vegetarian
Native region :
South America
Statut UICN : 

Vulnerable (VU)

Lifestyle

This "sea cow" lives in the shallow waters of the Caribbean, on the south-east coast of the United States, and in certain estuaries and rivers in French Guiana. Its cohabitation with humans is difficult, particularly due to collisions with boats and discharges of pollutants.
The manatee spends 6 to 8 hours a day eating, and can swallow up to 50 kg of food a day.

Distinctive features

Its Latin name Trichechus comes from the hairs that cover its body and snout. These are sensory hairs that measure vibrations in the water.
The manatee is also characterised by the development of its upper lip, which is a real gripping organ.

Its "lamentations" have long been interpreted by sailors as the amorous calls of the sirens of mythology!

THE MANATEE: AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

Manatees are threatened by fatal injuries caused by propellers, nets and other fishing gear, the discharge of pollutants into the water and the proliferation of toxic algae. These environmental and human causes are compounded by late sexual maturity and a very long gestation period: around 12 months for a single calf.  

THE MUSEUM'S ACTION TO PROTECT THE MANATEE
The Parc zoologique de Paris is taking part in a research programme on communication between individuals, which will help to better protect this species in its natural environment. The reception of a female manatee will enable reproduction as part of a project to reintroduce the manatee into the Guadeloupe National Park.

THE MANATEES OF THE WEST INDIES

GET TO KNOW THE MANATEES

Tinus shares his pool with two males, Husar and Kaï. To recognise Tinus, look at his plastron, his ventral part: there is a white star-shaped mark. Another distinctive feature is the little bulges under its fins!

Lamantins dans le basin de la serre tropicale © MNHN - F.-G. Grandin