A large group of Florida Manatees congregate below a remote water control structure waiting for tasty clumps of water grass to spill over. A group of Manatees is called an aggregation and large numbers usually do not gather except in Winter to find warmth or an unusual good food source. Here they find both, but its not particularly cold.
If you look closely you will see the scars from collisions with boat propellers on a few of the large Manatees. Many area of Florida waterways are designated reduced speed Manatee Zones to try and reduce collisions. These are large creatures related to Elephants that can live very long lives and reach 10-12 long and 1,500 pounds.
The Florida manatee is a native species found in many of Florida’s waterways. The Florida manatee population has grown to over 6,600 animals today and as a result, in early 2017 the Florida manatee was reclassified from an endangered to a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. This change in the species status is based on an increasing population and the establishment of effective protection measures to ensure the continued conservation of the species.
In 1975, Florida’s school children helped designate the endangered Florida manatee as Florida’ state marine mammal. Since then, various research, management and educational efforts have occurred to bring back a species that many people thought was on the verge of extinction.
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