July 29, 2014
I love manatees. These endangered marine mammals are the gentlest of the sea creatures. They laze around in shallow water grazing on sea grasses and since they are slow moving they are often hit by boats. They’re also not very cold tolerant and when the temperatures dip in the winter, they can become weak and ill.
There is a marina near my house where manatees gather in the summer. I stopped by there this morning to see if anyone was around, and I had an amazing encounter. There were 4 or 5 adults all playing together, rolling and splashing at the surface. I wondered if perhaps they were mating, but the water was too murky to tell and I didn’t want to disturb them with “human” questions.Nearby was a group of three babies who were playing together. I could see their cute little pectoral fins holding each other like arms and crawling on top of each other. The little puffs they made when they surfaced were so quiet and cute compared to the blows from their moms. I was so sorry I didn’t have my camera along.
The Florida population of manatees is probably the largest and healthiest in the world, yet it has many problems. There was a die-off of more than 800 last summer, in the Indian River Lagoon area, due to algae blooms likely caused by fertilizer and agricultural run-off. Boat strikes kill many and a cold winter is deadly. Fortunately during the winter, power plants release large amounts of warm water giving the manatees a suitable place to hang out. Some even provide viewing platforms and educational exhibits.
Here’s a video of a group of manatees traveling just north of us near Tampa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KvDVZitug8. I hope you enjoy it and that you get a chance to spend some time around these lovely creatures.
