Manatees are slow-moving marine mammals that suffer thousands of boat propeller strikes annually causing painful injuries and chronic scarring.
Manatee welfare from boat strikes involves both acute and chronic suffering. Propeller lacerations are severely painful and slow to heal. Internal injuries from blunt force cause lasting damage. Manatees with propeller injuries must continue swimming and foraging despite their wounds. Flipper amputations impair locomotion long-term. Chronic pain from repeated injuries across a lifetime is a significant welfare concern. Speed zones and exclusion areas have reduced but not eliminated strike rates. The concentration of manatees at power plant warm water outflows creates winter aggregation points that need strong vessel exclusion management.