Welcome to Vallarta

Welcome to Dolphin Discovery Vallarta

Fun and adventure at a Dolphins habitats with a water park!

About manatees:

This adorable species is a marine mammal with a gentle and docile personality that is also known as a marine cow because of their vegetarian diet not because of their physical appearance.

They belong to the "Sirenia" family like elephants do which makes them close relatives. An interesting fact is that sailors used to confuse the manatees with mermaids.

Manatees have a paddle-shaped tail, two flippers with nails, a large and chubby body and a brownish- gray color skin. They breathe through nostrils like seals and have funny whiskers on their snout.

Manatees live in groups mainly in warm and shallow waters, especially in slow rivers, salt water bays and coastal areas.

Due to their low body fat they are susceptible to cold temperatures, therefore they migrate in winter through springs and estuaries. Normally they're always resting, eating and traveling around.

There are three common type of manatees: The West Indian Manatee that lives in the shallow waters of rivers and coastlines of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the Amazonian Manatee that inhabits the Amazon Basin and last but not least the West African Manatee that reside mostly in West Africa.
Interesting Facts
Manatees swim At an average speed of 5-8 km/h.
Manatees weight about 400 to 500 kilograms.
An average adult manatee is around 3 meters tall.
Swim with Manatees at Dolphin Discovery.

This experience is like no other!

The perfect complement for your once in a lifetime experience is swimming with the most chubby and adorable marine species ever, manatees.

The experience of swimming with a manatee means having a gentle, fatty and non-aggressive marine animal as a buddy, as well as learning more about their habitat and knowing why they are so unique.

With this incredible experience you'll be hanging out with them in their natural habitat.

Even though they move slowly that doesn't mean you won't have a great time with them.

Maybe we are not as used to this animal as we are with dolphins or sea lions, but we'll assure you that our marine mammal specialists will help you to learn very interesting information about them, their habitat, reproduction and nursing.

There are few places around the world where you can live this experience, but if you're lucky enough to interact with them you could receive the most cute and funny kiss you have ever had. The manatee kisses you with his upper lip- that acts like a shortened trunk similar to an elephant, so that will probably tickle you and finally you'll also have the opportunity to help our marine specialists feed them so you can get closer to them. Remember they eat 100% vegetables, so they are practically like a big marine lettuce.

Did you know?

Female manatees are heavier and larger than males.
Sailors mistook them for mermaids.
They can be trained because they have long term memory.
At Birdth baby manatees weight around 30 kg.
An adult manatee can normally eat up to 10% of its weight.
Manatees swim At an average speed of 5-8 km/h (3 to 5 mph).
Scientists believe that manatees can live 60 years or more.
Their low reproduction and their extinction is a probable future.
Manatee cannot survive in cold waters.
At Birdth Newborn baby manatees weigh around 27-30 kg.

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