The curiosity about the physical nature of manatees, often called sea cows, stems from their unique status as large, herbivorous marine mammals. They spend their lives in warm, shallow coastal waters, rivers, and springs. This aquatic lifestyle results in a physical makeup unlike that of most terrestrial mammals. Understanding what a manatee feels like requires examining their specialized biology and the external organisms they carry.
The Surface Sensation: Skin Texture and Algae Growth
The immediate impression of a manatee’s exterior is one of roughness and texture, resulting from their thick, leathery epidermis. This skin naturally flakes and sheds, a process that helps control the growth of external organisms. However, the slow movement of these animals means their bodies act as mobile substrates for various epibionts.
Algae frequently colonize the manatee’s back and tail, sometimes giving the animal a greenish or brownish hue. This dense, bio-fouling layer can be substantial enough to give the skin a mossy texture, occasionally resembling a fur-like coating. In saltwater environments, manatees may also carry barnacles attached to the tough skin.
The skin itself is resilient, though many adult manatees bear scars from collisions with boat propellers. These healed wounds add an element of ridged, uneven texture across the body. Therefore, the surface sensation is not smooth or slimy, but rather rough, flaking, and often covered in a firm, living layer of aquatic growth.
Beneath the Surface: Temperature and Physical Density
The underlying thermal properties of the manatee’s body contrast with the insulating layers of many other marine mammals. Manatees are endotherms, meaning they generate internal body heat, but they possess a low metabolic rate. Unlike whales and seals, they do not have a thick layer of blubber for insulation.
Instead of blubber, their thermal regulation relies on dense body mass and seeking warm water habitats. They are susceptible to cold stress when water temperatures drop below 20°C (68°F), indicating their body temperature is close to their environment. Consequently, a manatee would feel cool or lukewarm to the touch, reflecting the surrounding water temperature.
Beneath the skin, the manatee’s body is large, solid, and muscular, providing a sensation of firmness. An adult manatee can weigh up to 1,500 kilograms, with mass composed of heavy bones and a large gastrointestinal tract. This substantial physical density means the animal feels weighty and resistant to pressure, characteristic of their massive, fusiform body shape.
Specialized Sensory Hairs
A unique aspect of the manatee’s physical sensation comes from the specialized hairs, known as vibrissae, which cover their body. These hairs are not simple body hair but highly innervated mechanoreceptors. A manatee is covered in approximately 5,300 of these specialized hairs, distributed across their body, with a concentration on the face.
These vibrissae function as a finely tuned sensory array, helping the manatee navigate their environment. They are sensitive enough to detect minute changes in water pressure and currents, acting as a hydrodynamic sensory system. This allows the animals to sense objects and water movement even in murky conditions.
The hairs on the face, which are more bristle-like, are used for tactile exploration, social touching, and grasping aquatic vegetation while feeding. If touched, the body hairs would likely feel like fine, short, stiff bristles embedded in the thick skin. This widespread sensory coverage makes the manatee’s entire body surface a sophisticated tool for interacting with their world.
Legal Protections and Ethical Interaction
Manatees are protected under federal law, primarily by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. These laws prohibit any form of harassment, including feeding, hunting, capturing, or killing the animal. Harassment is broadly defined to include any act that could disrupt a manatee’s normal behavior, such as unauthorized touching or pursuing them.
Therefore, curiosity about what a manatee feels like must be satisfied through observation, not direct contact. Violations of these federal laws can result in substantial penalties, including fines up to $100,000 and imprisonment. Ethical interaction requires maintaining a safe distance, generally at least 50 feet, and avoiding actions that might disturb resting or feeding animals.
Passive observation is the only permissible way to view these animals in their natural habitat. Respecting their space ensures their safety and compliance with the laws designed to protect this vulnerable species.