New mother Lolita—a West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus)—with her two-day-old baby Kali’na at the Beauval Zoo in France. Credits: Eric Baccega naturepl.com
French Zoo Offers Rare Look at Baby Manatee
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New mother Lolita--a West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus)--with her two-day-old baby Kali'na at the Beauval Zoo in France. Eric Baccega naturepl.com
A veterinarian and a keeper weigh the newborn manatee with a special scale. Two-day-old old Kali'na weighed around 33 pounds. She now weighs over 50. Eric Baccega naturepl.com
Lolita with two-day-old baby Kali'na. Female manatees have around a 12-month pregnancy and give birth once every two to five years. The mothers feed their young through teats found under their front flippers. Eric Baccega naturepl.com
A keeper observes Lolita and Kali'na. Manatees can hold their breath underwater for up to 20 minutes, but they usually surface for breath every three to five minutes. Eric Baccega naturepl.com
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Lolita and Kali'na. Newborn manatees need their mothers to guide them to the water's surface for their first breath. Within an hour they can typically swim on their own. Eric Baccega naturepl.com
