Why Do Manatees Eat So Much?
- Scientists have estimated an adult manatee eats approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of its body weight in food daily. That means the average adult manatee consumes 100 to 150 pounds of food per day.
- Scientists believe that the manatee's large size and metabolic rate requires it to eat a lot of plants to conserve heat. It needs a large amount of food to help keep it warm in the cool winter waters.
- Since manatees spend so much time eating, they need to consume large amounts of food to replace energy spent on digestion. Their food intake helps fuel their continuous-eating regimens.