Can you touch a manatee?

Natural manatee behavior can be disrupted by humans who approach manatees too closely. People should never approach, chase, surround, touch, disturb, ride, or poke manatees; give them food or water; or engage in any action that could separate a mother and calf. read more

BEING NEAR MANATEES. Look, but don't touch manatees. Also, don't feed manatees or give them water. If manatees become accustomed to being around people, they can alter their behavior in the wild, perhaps causing them to lose their natural fear of boats and humans, which may make them more susceptible to harm. read more

He had no idea it was illegal to touch a manatee, he told a local television station, and didn’t mean the little guy any harm. Manatees, however, are quite sensitive, and manatee biologist Thomas Reinert told Reuters that Waterman’s actions could have induced severe stress in the young calf. read more