Manatee tattoo meaning and symbolism

Manatee tattoo is very unusual but absolutely amazing design. This animal has a reputation of being friendly, calm and peaceful sea dweller that loves to enjoy its life in the water. It symbolizes love, friendship, Mother Nature and love for animals.

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People who chose this type of body art, probably really love manatees and wish to protect this very special animal from being extinct or being exploited for commercial purposes. Manatee tattoo is a perfect way to show your care about these nice creatures.

Manatees are often called ‘sea cows’. They usually live in the Atlantic Ocean but you can spot them in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian oceans as well. Manatee species are divided into three: West Indian manatees, Antillean manatee and Amazonian manatee. As you may guess, the first two live in the water basins near North America – both on the east and west coasts of this continent – while Amazonian manatees can be found in South America, mainly in the Amazon River basin.

Manatees have a whole set of unique physical features that make them pretty cool animals to tattoo or even draw! They belong to the order called Sirenians (Sirenia) which means they spend their lives completely underwater except for an occasional visit to surface for taking a breath of air. When resting, they lay themselves at the bottom of the water, which can be from 1 meter deep to 20 meters deep.

Manatee tattoos can also mean friendship and kindness. These animals have a reputation of being very friendly and loving toward people. They are also known as manatees enjoying being in the company of humans so much that they often ask for playing with them, getting fed, cuddled or even massaged!

Manatee tattoo looks pretty simple but you will need to spend some time to choose the perfect location for your ink. The size of this tattoo design may vary greatly so you can choose any place on your body to place it. However, bear in mind that manatees mainly live near coasts, in shallow water basins or in big rivers with slow-moving currents. This means that they are used to swimming only in warm water. So, if you want to get your tattoo design near the area of its natural habitat, choose your artist to ink your manatee somewhere on the leg or arm.

Manatee tattoo is not very popular so it will definitely be unique and unlike any other tattoos you might have! This sea creature can be depicted in different styles, from black and grey ink to more realistic, colorful designs. It all depends on your preference and available body area where you plan to place your tattoo.

Manatee tattoo is best portrayed in a classical style with simple lines of different shades. If you can’t picture it clearly in your mind yet, take a look at the gallery below for more inspiration.