Sirenians — manatees and dugongs — are slow-moving aquatic megafauna whose captive welfare depends on water temperature, space, and appropriate foraging opportunities.
Sirenian welfare in captivity is best understood in the context of rehabilitation rather than permanent display. These are animals whose welfare depends on vast, warm, food-rich aquatic environments that no captive facility can replicate adequately for long-term housing. Rehabilitation programs that return injured animals to the wild after recovery are the most welfare-positive use of captive infrastructure for sirenians. Where permanent captivity is unavoidable — for animals that cannot be released — large, warm-water environments with adequate grazing provision and controlled visitor access represent the minimum welfare standard. Conservation messaging about manatee threats including boat strikes and habitat loss can be delivered effectively through these programs without requiring permanent display of healthy wild-caught animals.