Fort Myers in Lee County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Munching Manatees

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, October 16, 2015

1. Munching Manatees Marker

Inscription. Manatees spend six to eight hours each day feeding. Manatees feed on more than 60 species of aquatic or semi-aquatic plants including sea grasses, mangrove leaves and water hyacinths. Manatee burn a great deal of energy to maintain their body temperature. They eat 8 to 11 percent of their body weight each day to replenish their energy.

Straight from the Mouth of Manatee…
Manatees feed only on plants. All their teeth are molars used for chewing and grinding the food. Many of the plants they eat contain sand and shells. As a manatee’s teeth wear down and fall out, they are replaced by new molars that push the other teeth forward to fill in the empty spaces. These are called “marching molars.”

Favorite food
Seagrasses, including manatee grass, are a favorite food of manatees. Seagrasses have evolved to accommodate grazing by manatees, turtles, waterfowl and other animals.

Did you know?
A 1,000-pound adult manatee eats up to 100 pounds of vegetation a day. Manatees spend six to eight hours a day feeding.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment.

Location. 26° 41.59′ N,

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81° 46.666′ W. Marker is in Fort Myers, Florida, in Lee County. It is on Palm Beach Boulevard. Marker is located inside park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10901 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers FL 33905, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tracking Manatees (here, next to this marker); Relatives and Relationships (here, next to this marker); Manatee Young (here, next to this marker); Pine Flatwoods Habitat (here, next to this marker); Scrub Oak Habitat (here, next to this marker); Responsible Fishing (here, next to this marker); Boating with Wildlife

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(here, next to this marker); Mangroves - Trees of the Sea (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Myers.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 333 times since then and 19 times this year. Last updated on September 6, 2017, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Photo 1. submitted on August 7, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.