Photo by Scientific American
We love seeing Mama and Baby Manatee together!
The relationship between a mother and baby is the strongest social bond created by manatees.
Female manatees typically give birth every two to five years. A mother manatee will carry her baby for about 12 months before it is born.
A baby manatee — called a calf — typically weighs in at more than 65 pounds at birth (ouch!). The mother manatee pushes the calf to the water’s surfact to take its first breath. In about an hour, the calf can swim on its own.
The mother manatee will stay with their calf for up to two years. The calf relies on its mother to learn about feeding and resting areas, travel routes and warm water refuges.
West Indian manatees communicate with touch and with vocalizations that sound like squeals and squeaks. Mother and calf recognize each other through these vocalizations, which help them to remain in contact.
Click here for an adorable video of a mother and calf!
