Florida Manatee

Description:

Photo 1 shows mother and a baby entering Three Sisters Springs. Photo 2 shows one that was inside the springs, seemingly playing and turning over on its back and swimming around with another manatee. The 3rd photo shows manatees resting inside the springs. Photo 4 shows a manatee resting in the springs and fish eating algae off its back. Photo 5 shows a large huddle of manatees right outside the springs. There are roped off areas where no humans are allowed right outside the springs where the manatees usually huddle. It wasn't a very cold day, so not many manatees were actually inside the spring area. The last photo shows a mother and baby entering spring run, which leads into the spring area

Habitat:

Three Sisters Springs is around 72 degrees year-round, making it a safe place to manatees to come and escape the cold winter waters. I believe the power plant a little further out of town warms the water, which is why so many manatees come into the bay and find their way to the springs here.

Notes:

Though they are being taken off the Endangered Species List, keep in mind they are still protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which prohibits the harass, hunt, capture, or kill of all marine mammals or the attempt to do any of those things. Three Sisters is also monitored by "manatee monitors" who keep an eye on the interactions between people and manatees and warn people when they are being too loud, pursuing or harassing manatees, and so on.