Manatees are gentle and slow-moving animals. Most of their time is spent eating, resting, and traveling.  Because they are mammals, they must surface to breathe air.

When manatees are using a great deal of energy, they may surface to breathe as often as every 30 seconds. When resting, manatees have been known to stay submerged for up to 20 minutes. Manatees can swim up to 20 miles per hour in short bursts, but they usually only swim about three to five miles per hour.