Ocean Conservation

HOLY SEA COW! Test Your Manatee Know-How

Hit your friends with these fun facts during your next paddle session and keep your eyes peeled for these gentle giants drifting below your board! 

FUN FACTS 

  • Manatees’ closest relative is the elephan.t 
  • Manatees move at a speed of about 5mph but are surprisingly agile, able to swim vertically, upside down, barrel roll, and do somersaults.
  • These herbivores eat 10-15% of their body weight each day.
  • Manatees are constantly losing and regrowing their teeth.
  • Manatees can weigh anywhere from 1,000 to 3,500 pounds.
  • They love warm water and are not able to survive in water temperatures below 60 degrees.
  • Manatee Appreciation Day was started by the Save the Manatees Club founded by Jimmy Buffet and former US Senator Bob Graham.
HOLY SEA COW! Test Your Manatee Know-How

STEPS TO PROTECT 

It’s up to all of us to work together to ensure manatees—and all other marine life—is free to thrive for years to come. Here’s a few ways you can do your part when you’re out on the water. 

  • Make room for manatees. Take precautions while boating to avoid harming these creatures. 
  • Never litter the waterways these animals and so many more call home. Leave nothing but a wake in the water. 
  • If you encounter a manatee—or any other wildlife—during a SUP session, observe them quietly and respectfully in their natural habitat.
  • Participate in beach, park, or roadside clean ups.
  • Avoid using fertilizer that can feed algae growth that impacts manatees. 
  • Show your support for projects and policies that benefit manatees.  

 

HOLY SEA COW! Test Your Manatee Know-How