Manatees - Florida's Gentle Marine Mammals

The Florida manatee, Florida’s state marine mammal, is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. Like other grazing animals, Florida manatees play an important role in influencing the plant growth in the shallow rivers, bays, estuaries, canals and coastal waters they call home.

  

Here are some manatee facts: 

• There are three different species of manatee
• Manatees are closely related to elephants
• They only live in warm water
• Manatees are found along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Brazil
• Manatees are born underwater.
• They can stay under water for up to 20 minutes
• Manatees are herbivores
• Manatees eat 10% of their body weight a day.
• A 1,000-pound manatee will eat about 100 pounds of plants every day
• Their gestation period is 12 months.
• Babies stay with the mother for about a year
• Manatees have no natural predators
• Humans are their biggest threat

Habitat loss is a big problem for manatees, as are run-ins with human objects or vehicles. Manatees can get stuck in fishing gear or accidentally eat fishing line. Motor boats are especially problematic, as manatees are too slow to get out of the way of their sharp propeller blades.

Three different laws help protect them: The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, all of which make it illegal to kill or hurt a manatee in the United States.

These laws and the reduction of boating speeds are paying off: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just proposed that the West Indian manatee be moved to "Threatened" from "Endangered." 

Learn more about manatees by visiting the Save the Manatee Club 

You can become a member, adopt a manatee, inform yourself, and find out where to see manatees. 

Blue Spring Park

One of the most ideal places to view manatees in their natural surroundings is Blue Spring Park. 

Blue Spring State Park includes the largest spring on the St. John's River. Blue Spring is a designated Manatee Refuge and the winter home to a growing population of West Indian Manatees. During manatee season, which approximately runs from mid-November through March, several hundred manatees can be viewed atop the spring’s overlooks. The spring and spring run are closed to all water activity while manatees are present during this time.  Swimming or diving with manatees is not permitted; this rule is strictly enforced.

Travel times are fairly minimal:

From

Port Orange 30-40 minutes

New Smyrna Beach 40-50 minutes

Daytona Beach Shores 50 minutes

 

Creative Florida Living 

Janet Sells