Watch a Peaceful Manatee Suddenly Charge an Old Man on the Beach

Key Points

• Manatees are generally not dangerous at all. They are herbivores and are not interested in humans.
• Due to their huge size, it is possible that they could knock us over but it would be an accident and not an attack.
• The people in this clip obviously felt confident enough to get close to the manatees even if one man may have regretted it.

No matter how docile and gentle a wild animal appears to be, they are all unpredictable. When that unpredictability is combined with a very large body – you get a pretty scary situation. In the below clip, we get to see a group of people filming some manatees in the shallow water on a beach. Suddenly, one breaks away and charges at a man in a blue top and a red cap. Even though he falls over backward, he seems unhurt and the manatee quickly loses interest.

What Exactly Are Manatees?

Manatees are fascinating mammals with a unique appearance who graze on sea grass and are grey in color. They are part of the Sirenia order and are commonly called sea cows even though they are not related to cows at all. They are large and weigh up to 1,300 pounds and may be up to 13 feet long. 

There are actually more than one species of manatee. The West Indian manatee (Trichechus Manatus) can be divided into two subspecies which are Trichechus manatus latirostris (the Florida manatee) and the Trichechus manatus manatus (the Antillean manatee). There is also a West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and an Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).

Are Manatees Dangerous?

The people in this clip obviously felt confident enough to get close to the manatees even if one man may have regretted it! They are also usually considered to be slow-moving – but this one looked quite speedy!

In general, manatees are not at all dangerous. They are herbivores and are not interested in humans (or any other animal) as prey. Manatees have teeth but they are molars designed for munching on vegetation and will not injure you.

In some other species, males can be dangerous during mating season but that does not seem to be the case with this creature. However, it would be wise to stay away from a mother manatee who was protecting her young.

These docile creatures can be inquisitive and often come up to humans to check us out. Due to their huge size, it is possible that they could knock us over but it would be an accident and not an attack.

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