The World’s Oldest Manatee
A West Indian manatee named Romeo, who is at least 71 years old as of 2026, has been verified as the oldest manatee ever recorded. This senior sirenian, a group more commonly known as sea cows, now resides at the Gulfarium on Okaloosa Island in Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA.
Romeo was born in the wild, so his exact date of birth is unknown. However, when he was found in the Miami area in 1957, he was described as a subadult, which would place him between two to five years old. At the most conservative estimate, this means he is at least 71 years old in 2026 and likely in his mid-70s.
When Romeo came under human care for educational display, he was known as Big Bull and lived at the Miami Seaquarium until late 2023. Overseen by the US Fish and Wildlife Services, he was temporarily relocated to Zoo Tampa before moving (for what is intended to be the last time) to the Gulfarium in June 2025.
Patrick Berry, President of the Gulfarium, said: “We are so honoured to be caring for Romeo. He has touched so many people and been such an inspiration for ocean conservation for so many years. To be able to carry on that legacy for his species with him here at the Gulfarium is such a pleasure.”
The year after his arrival at the Miami Seaquarium in 1957, a female manatee was introduced to the facility and was renamed Juliet. Although it took several years to develop the optimum conditions, Romeo and Juliet formed a lifelong bond and had nine offspring together. Their first calf, Lorelei, born on 3 May 1975, is believed to be the first manatee conceived and born while in human care.
Juliet also reached an impressive age, certainly in excess of 65 years old when she passed away in April 2024 at Zoo Tampa.
Romeo has been described as a laidback, gentle giant. He loves grazing along the lettuce forage feeders that rest on the bottom of his habitat, known as Manatee Cove. He can almost always be found napping promptly at 2 p.m. near his favourite rock, often snuggled up with his best buddy Lil Joe, who is a sprightly 37-year-old manatee. They also share their home with Inigo, who is estimated to be around 10.
According to staff at the Gulfarium, Romeo’s favourite foods are romaine lettuce, apples, and small pieces of sweet potato.
While it isn’t unheard of for manatees to live into their 60s, their more typical lifespan is between 30 and 40 years old. Their longevity tends to be particularly curtailed in the wild where they face a number of serious threats such as habitat destruction, pollution, and injuries/fatalities caused by watercraft in their native rivers, bays, and seagrass meadows of south-east USA.
Prior to Romeo, the oldest manatee ever recognized was Snooty from the USA, who was born on 21 July 1948. He passed away aged 69 years 2 days on 23 July 2017.
Great efforts are underway in Florida to try to protect and bolster wild populations of these much-loved aquatic mammals, of which the Gulfarium plays its part as a member of the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP).
Gulfarium’s Patrick Berry shared his thoughts with GWR on how he thinks manatee conservation has improved over the decades. He said:
“Certainly, great strides have been made, whether it be through state and local ordinances to protect the animals or the excellent conservation work undertaken by different groups such as the MRP which helps rescue and rehabilitate manatees. Through MRP and its cooperation of federal, state and marine parks, manatees are rescued and, when ready to return to the wild after rehabilitation, they are tracked via a satellite tag for a year post release to see how they are doing and, if still well, can then be deemed a success. Sometimes they must be rescued a second or third time even, and at that point may become conditionally non-releasable and become great ambassadors for their species as Romeo has been for some 70 years.”
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