Harvest Caye, Toledo, Belize — Central America
Antillean Manatee
Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, January 18, 2024
1. Antillean Manatee Marker
Antillean Manatee
Trichechus manatus
Manatees can easily move between salt water and fresh water.
The gestation period is 13 months, usually giving birth to one calf.
Harvest Caye has developed a Manatee Conservation Program to protect the manatee population in Belize, particularly around Harvest Caye.
The area between Harvest Caye and the mainland is an important manatee migratory route. Visitors can often see manatees feeding on seagrass on the west side of the island. Harvest Caye features a variety of native plants and trees that all play a part in the ecosystem. More than 10,000 new mangroves have been planted throughout the island, increasing the natural estuary system that serves as a critical habitat for birds, young fish, and manatees.
Look out for manatees!
Boat propellers and habitat loss are the leading causes of manatee death.
Size: 10' to 12' (3 to 3.7 m). Females tend to be larger and heavier
Weight: 1,500 to 1,800 lb (680-816 kg)
Diet: Herbivorous, consisting of 82% seagrass and other plants. Eating approximately 10% of their body weight daily, manatees are the only vegetarian marine mammals.
Life Span: About 40 years.
Predators: No natural enemies
Distribution: Map
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Ancient sailors thought manatees were mermaids - half fish, half woman. With fingerlike bones and neck vertebrae that allow them to turn their heads, it's possible that manatees could be mistaken for humans from a distance.
Captions
Florida Manatee · Antillean Manatee
There are two subspecies of the West Indian Manatee: the Florida Manatee and the Antillean Manatee. Belize is the stronghold for the Antillean Manatee with an estimated population of 800 to 1,000.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 16° 28.669′ N,
this page online
Regionally, it is in North America, Central America, Mesoamerica, the Western Hemisphere, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, a Spanish colony, and specifically a British colony.
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Hawksbill Turtle (here, next to this marker); Dugout Canoe (within shouting distance of this marker); Black Howler Monkey (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line).
Also see . . . Belize Manatee Conservation. Belize has the highest known density of Antillean manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, in the world. Unfortunately, because of rapidly increasing coastal development, human-related manatee deaths are rising quickly. Poaching, once the major threat to manatees in Belize, has been replaced by boat kills and destruction of habitat as the major concerns for
Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, January 18, 2024
2. Antillean Manatee Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 179 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 26, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
