Manatee Conservation: Belize's Efforts To Protect Gentle Giants

Belize is home to the West Indian manatee, a species of large, herbivorous marine mammals. Manatees are gentle giants, often described as sea cows, that spend half of their day resting in shallow waters and the other half slowly swimming in search of food. While Belize has the most manatees of any country in Central America, with a population of around 800 to 1000 individuals, they are still considered endangered. The main threats to manatees in Belize include watercraft collisions, destruction of coastal habitats, entanglement in fishing gear, and garbage pollution. Despite strong government protection, conservation efforts and advocacy for manatees must continue to ensure the survival of this vulnerable species.

Manatee population in Belize

Belize is home to the West Indian manatee, which is the largest species of manatee and can grow up to 4 metres in length. There are between 800 and 1000 manatees in Belize, making it the country with the most manatees in Central America. The manatee population in Belize is slowly growing, thanks to strong protection from the government.

Manatees are gentle, curious, and playful creatures. They are large, herbivorous marine mammals with a robust, blob-like body and a paddle-shaped tail. They have grey or brown skin and whiskers to help them find food. They are commonly called sea cows because they are chunky, slow-moving, and eat plants. Manatees are sociable when they meet but tend to travel alone, except for cow and calf pairs and mating groups.

Manatees can be found in the warm, shallow coastal waters of Belize, as well as in estuaries and rivers. They enjoy spending time in the warm waters of the rivers of Belize and the Caribbean, resting in shallow waters and slowly swimming in search of food. They consume 4 to 9 per cent of their body weight in aquatic plants and seagrass every day.

There are currently three protected manatee areas in Belize that offer the best opportunities to see manatees: the Northern Lagoon inside the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary located approximately seven miles from Belize City, and the Gales Point Manatee Wildlife Sanctuary in the Southern Lagoon.

While manatees are protected by law in Belize, they still face threats such as boat collisions, habitat destruction, entanglement in fishing gear, and pollution. In 2015, at least 40 manatees were killed by boats or other human factors, and the number of manatee deaths has been increasing. Conservation organisations are working hard to protect manatees through habitat safeguards, public awareness campaigns, and collaboration with local communities.

Threats to manatees

Manatees in Belize face a variety of threats, including development, high-speed boats, fishing nets, and pollution. While poaching used to be the main threat to this species, it has now been replaced by watercraft collisions, destruction of coastal habitats, entanglement in fishing gear, and garbage pollution.

Development and tourism in Belize threaten the manatee population as their habitats are shrinking due to coastal development, which often involves dredging seagrass beds and tearing out mangrove forests to build cruise ship ports. More tourism also means an increase in high-speed boats, which can injure and kill manatees. At least 40 manatees—the highest number to date—were killed in 2015 by boats or other human factors such as fishing nets.

The migration paths of manatees in Belize intersect with the largest volume of boat traffic in the country. The water taxis running between Belize City, Caye Caulker, and San Pedro, as well as the tour boats carrying cruise passengers on river tours, all pose a significant threat to the manatee population.

In addition to boat collisions, manatees also face the danger of entanglement in fishing gear and garbage pollution. Their habitats are further destroyed by coastal development, and they are vulnerable to ingestion of fish hooks and litter.

While Belize has strong protection laws for manatees and several wildlife sanctuaries, the country's Wildlife Protection Act has not been updated since 1981 and may not provide sufficient protection for this endangered species.

Conservation efforts

Belize is home to the highest known density of Antillean manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, in the world. However, human-related manatee deaths are rising due to coastal development. To protect manatees, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) Research Institute (formerly Sea to Shore Alliance) has been working in Belize since 1997 to study and safeguard them. They focus on conserving fragile ecosystems and the endangered species that inhabit them. The CMA Research Institute provides the Belize government with the data, expertise, and scientific exchange needed to establish sanctuaries, speed zones, laws, and regulations that safeguard manatees.

One of the CMA's conservation leaders is Jamal Galves, who began as a volunteer and is now the Belize Manatee Conservation program coordinator. Galves has contributed to public education and outreach in local schools, manatee rescues and relocations, and the implementation of stronger regulations in "no-wake zones" near Belize City.

Another organisation dedicated to manatee conservation in Belize is Wildtracks, co-founded by Zoe and Paul Walker. Wildtracks is a rehabilitation facility for manatees and primates, working to reintroduce them into the wild. They also provide technical support to strengthen and implement national wildlife and protected area strategies. Wildtracks is committed to meeting the national target of ensuring no animal becomes extinct in Belize by 2030. They focus on building capacity for conservation by determining how communities, organisations, and the government can contribute their skills and resources to protect Belize's natural resources and wildlife.

Belize has established several wildlife sanctuaries, including the Gales Point Manatee Wildlife Sanctuary, the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, to protect manatees. Conservation efforts also involve research, education, and implementing protective measures to reduce human impacts on manatee populations. Manatees are protected by law in Belize, and various conservation organisations are working to safeguard their habitats and raise public awareness.

In addition to the work of these organisations, community development and engagement are crucial for manatee conservation in Belize. Programmes like GLA's Marine & Manatee Conservation™ offer educational opportunities for local students and encourage the involvement of rangers, scientists, and local fishermen in conservation initiatives.

Manatee behaviour

Manatees are non-aggressive and non-territorial, and are considered semi-social. They tend to travel alone, except for cow-calf pairs and mating groups. However, they do socialise when they encounter other manatees. They have been observed participating in playful activities such as body-surfing and follow-the-leader.

Manatees spend most of their time feeding and resting. They are herbivores and spend up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrasses and other aquatic plants, consuming 4-10% of their body weight in vegetation daily. They use their flexible upper lips to grab and tear plants, and their muscular prehensile lips to pick up items, much like an elephant uses its trunk. They have small eyes, but are thought to see well, and their nostrils can be closed tightly by valves when underwater. They have no external ear lobes, but are believed to hear well.

Manatees rest for between two and twelve hours a day, either suspended near the water's surface or lying on the sea floor. They can remain submerged for up to twenty minutes, but when they are using a lot of energy, they may need to surface to breathe as often as every thirty seconds.

Manatees are strong swimmers and can reach speeds of up to fifteen miles per hour in short bursts. They swim with up-and-down motions of their body and tail, like a whale or dolphin. They are quite agile in the water and are capable of complex manoeuvring, including somersaults, rolls, and swimming upside down.

Manatees have a very slow metabolism and can only survive in warm waters. They prefer shallow water, two to six metres deep, and are rarely found in deeper water.

Best spots for manatee watching

Belize is home to the largest population of manatees in Central America, with around 800 to 1,000 individuals. The country is known as the last stronghold for Antillean manatees in the Caribbean, and they can be found in its rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and coastal areas. Here are some of the best spots for manatee watching in Belize:

• Northern Lagoon – Located inside the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in the northern part of the country, this is one of the most reliable places to see manatees. It is a shallow and calm lagoon where manatees like to rest and feed. However, due to the presence of crocodiles, swimming is not recommended here.
• Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary – About seven miles from Belize City, this protected area is another reliable spot to see manatees. Boat tours to the sanctuary are available from Belize City or Caye Caulker, but swimming with the manatees is not allowed.
• Gales Point Manatee Wildlife Sanctuary – Located in the Southern Lagoon, just offshore from the southern part of the Belize District, this remote and pristine area is a popular feeding spot for manatees. Visitors can stay at the Manatee Lodge in Gales Point village and take organised boat tours to manatee feeding areas.
• Caye Caulker – While not the manatees' favourite area, sightings are possible on snorkelling tours from Caye Caulker. If you spot a manatee, you may be allowed to slowly enter the water and swim alongside it.

When to go

The best time of year for manatee watching in Belize is during the dry season, from November to April, when the weather is sunny and dry, and the water is clear and calm. The wet season, from May to October, is less ideal as the weather is rainy and stormy, and the water is murky and choppy.

The best time of day to see manatees is early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is not too strong and the water is cooler. At midday, they tend to stay deeper in the water to avoid overheating.

Frequently asked questions