Manatees and dugongs are large, slow-moving marine herbivores that can be kept in zoological facilities but have specific requirements for warm water and abundant aquatic vegetation.
Manatee welfare in captivity is a complex mixture of conservation benefit and welfare limitation. Rehabilitation facilities provide genuinely welfare-positive care for injured animals that cannot be released. Permanent captivity for display raises more complex questions — manatees' extensive ranging behaviour and vegetation requirements are difficult to fully meet. Thermal management is a welfare absolute: cold stress causes rapid deterioration and death. Facilities in temperate climates must maintain heated water year-round. The welfare of manatees in human care depends fundamentally on the quality of thermal management, vegetation supply, and enrichment provision.