At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The West Indian manatee is a large, gentle, plant-eating marine mammal, including the well-known Florida manatee. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It grazes water plants in warm shallow coasts and rivers and must avoid cold water.
Range & habitat
Coastal and river waters of the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Boat strikes
- Habitat loss and cold stress
- Entanglement
Why it matters
A slow-moving coastal grazer, the manatee is a flagship for protecting warm-water refuges and reducing boat collisions in busy waterways.
Sources
Sources for West Indian Manatee
- IUCN Red List — look up West Indian Manatee (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are manatees often injured by boats?
Manatees are slow, surface-feeding animals in busy coastal waterways, which makes collisions with boats a leading cause of injury and death — many bear propeller scars.
Why is the West Indian manatee Vulnerable?
Published assessments cite boat strikes, habitat loss, cold stress when warm-water refuges fail, and entanglement. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: