How Long Do Manatees Live? - Manatee Facts Information

How Long
Do Manatees Live?

Manatees Can Live
for Half a Century and More

Undisturbed, manatees can live for 50 to 60 years. The world's oldest captive manatee, Snooty, was born in Miami, FL, in 1948. He lived in the South Florida Museum and Parker Manatee Aquarium in Bradenton, FL, until his accidental death inm 2017.

A big birthday party was held for Snooty every July 16. Snooty passed away at age 69 just days after his annual birthday party. Death was not due to natural causes but due to a malfunction of the panel he swan through.

Manatees may live for a long time but they reproduce at a slow rate. Females produce a calf only every 4 to 5 years. Their gestation period is about 13 months.

Then the mother must spend the first two years of a calf's life teaching it survival skills, such as migratory patterns and the locations of seagrass beds.

Florida Manatee Facts and Information

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Manatee Photo Gallery

How the Manatee Got Its Name

Manatees as Mermaids

Manatees and Elephants

Why Manatees Became Endangered

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