Georgia: 

 Louisiana: 



Missis- 

 sippi: 

 North 

 Carolina: 



Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, HUls- 

 Borough. Indian River, Jefferson, 

 Lake, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Manatee, 

 Marion, Martin, Monrow, Okaloosa, 

 Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm 

 Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, 

 St. Johns, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Sara- 

 sota, Seminole, Suwannee, Taylor, 

 Volusia, Wakulla, Walton. 

 Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, 

 Liiaerty, Mcintosh. 



(Parishes): Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, 

 Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, 

 St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion. 



Hancock, Harrison, Jackson. 



Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, 

 Carteret, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, 

 Hyde, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, 

 Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Tyr- 

 rell, Washington. 



Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colle- 

 ton, Georgetown, Horry. 



Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, 

 Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Ken- 

 edy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Wil- 

 lacy. 



HABITAT 



Manatees inhabit both fresh and salt water of 

 sufficient depth (1 meter or more) throughout 

 their range. They may be encountered in water- 

 ways with access to coastal habitats, including 

 canals, sluggish rivers, estuaries, and saltwater 

 bays. They also have been seen as far as 6 km off 

 the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico (Hart- 

 man 1974). Between October and AprU in Florida, 

 manatees concentrate near warm water (Hartman 

 1974, 1979), but during other months they appear 

 to choose areas with adequate food near sources 

 of fresh water (Huser 1977, Hartman 1979a). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



Manatees consume almost any vegetation 

 available. Comprehensive lists of plant species 

 recorded in their diet have been published by 

 Hartman (1971) and Campbell and Irvine (1977). 



South 

 Carolina: 



Texas: 



Emergent and floating plants, and even vegetation 

 along the shore are acceptable but they prefer 

 submergents, emergents, and floating vegetation 

 in that order (Hartman 1979a). A partial list of 

 plants known to be eaten by manatees illustrates 

 the variety of their diet: 



Floating fern (Ceratophyllum pteridoides) 

 Pondweed (Diplanthera wrightii) 

 Water-hyacinth (Eichhomia crassipes) 

 Waterweed (Elodea) 

 Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) 

 Water milfoil (Myriophyllum) 

 Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) 

 Manatee-grass (Syringodium filiforme) 

 Turtle grass (Thallasia testudinum) 

 Eelgrass (Vallisneria neotropicalis) 

 Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) 

 Various types of algae 



While generally considered completely herb- 

 iverous, there are instances of wild manatees 

 feeding on fish (Powell 1978) and captive mana- 

 tees will take fish if available (Jenkins 1979). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



During hurricanes, manatees may seek shelter 

 in protected bays and canals (Hartman 1971). 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Not applicable. 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



Not appHcable. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



Manatees are adapted to both fresh- and salt- 

 water habitats. Dependance on freshwater for 

 drinking has been suggested by Hartman (1974, 

 1979a). Saltwater populations often congregate 

 around sources of freshwater, such as offshore 

 springs, river mouths, and marina water hoses. 



Numerous accounts of manatee deaths fol- 

 lowing cold weather in Florida suggest that winter 

 temperatures at the margin of their range may be 

 a limiting factor for U.S. populations (Bangs 1895; 

 Cahn 1940; Hamilton 1941; Kromholz 1943; 

 Moore 1951b, 1956; Layne 1965). Water temper- 

 ature below approximately 20° C stimulates move- 

 ment into warm water refugia (Hartman 1974, 



