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Manatee
The manatee is the official marine mammal of Florida and the animals in this series were photographed at the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center. The warm clean salt water discharged in the canal draws them there. Seagrass, their primary source of food, is abundant. They can eat up to fifteen percent of their body weight each day and can weigh more than a ton! These gentle creatures have lived in present day Florida for at least two million years. Sadly they are now endangered. Their biggest threat is from boat collisions and propellers. They are protected both by the Federal Endangered Species Act and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. It is truly amazing to see these giant creatures gliding through the waters. If you find yourself in the vicinity of Tampa, don’t miss the manatees!
Manatee
The manatee is the official marine mammal of Florida and the animals in this series were photographed at the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center. The warm clean salt water discharged in the canal draws them there. Seagrass, their primary source of food, is abundant. They can eat up to fifteen percent of their body weight each day and can weigh more than a ton! These gentle creatures have lived in present day Florida for at least two million years. Sadly they are now endangered. Their biggest threat is from boat collisions and propellers. They are protected both by the Federal Endangered Species Act and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. It is truly amazing to see these giant creatures gliding through the waters. If you find yourself in the vicinity of Tampa, don’t miss the manatees!