ONLINE TICKETING REQUIRED

Reservation is mandatory for all visitors, including those who are entitled to free admission and holders of admission tickets (tickets purchased in advance, extended tickets, invitations, annual pass...).

No on-site sales will be possible.

During the week we propose a dated ticket for the day of the visit and on the weekend two time slots per day (morning and afternoon).

Please note that on busy days, especially on weekends, there may be long waits at the zoo and greenhouse entrance. The busiest times to enter the zoo are usually in the morning at opening and in the early afternoon.

Our teams are mobilized to guarantee compliance with health and safety rules.

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

The manatee spends between six and eight hours a day eating. In captivity, it ingests 8 - 10% of its weight, which corresponds to over 50 kg of plants per individual. The manatee grazes on the seabed using its downward-pointing snout and its split upper lip. When resting, the manatee comes up to the surface to breathe every two to three minutes and stays underwater for just a few minutes to find its food.

Distinctive features

It has no hind legs, but pushes itself forward with its tail. Its skin constantly "peels" and algae does not become attached to it. The female’s teats swell when she is suckling her young.

Anecdote

The manatee belongs to the Sirenia order, referring to the sirens or mermaids of Greek and Scandinavian mythology, which sailors thought they were when they saw them for the first time.

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