Happy Manatee Appreciation Day!
Hey – it’s time to celebrate! Today, March 25th is Manatee Appreciation Day! I’ve made a giant seagrass cake to celebrate this awesome occasion! Manatee Appreciation Day is dedicated to raising awareness about us manatees. Manatee celebrations occur in Florida, the Caribbean, and Mexico. You can also find celebrations at Zoos and Marine Biology Centers.
We are currently listed as endangered. And even though our recent Florida population count showed an increase, at any given time, it could quickly nose dive again. This is because we are affected by cold stress, red tide, and watercraft collisions. Yes we marine mammals are very sensitive creatures.
Manatee season in Florida runs from November 15th to March 31st. It’s during these months we manatees head to warmer waters because we’re warm-blooded. We can’t tolerate water temperatures much below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. So we’ll retreat to Florida’s warm springs, which stay at a balmy 72 degrees Fahrenheit all year.
If you’re visiting Florida and want to check out manatees, below are links to some popular places. You can also search manatee on the Internet.
Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, FL…
https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Blue-Spring
Manatee Viewing Center at Tampa Electric, Apollo Beach, FL…
http://www.tampaelectric.com/company/mvc/
Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL…
http://mote.org
South Florida Museum, Home of Snooty the Manatee! Bradenton, FL…
http://www.southfloridamuseum.org
SeaWorld, Orlando, FL…
http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/animals/know-our-stars/manatees/
Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River, FL…
http://www.floridasprings.org/visit/map/crystal-river/
If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC. They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.
Here is a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation…
Here’s another awesome link to learn more about manatees…
~ Kobee Manatee
