On our way to Clearwater, we learned from the Florida Welcome Center on I-75, of locations to see these unusual animal. Apollo Beach (Tampa Bay) Manatee viewing center was the nearest to our place. It was a cool and beautiful sunny day.
There are several Manatee species. The Florida Manatees are native to Florida.
I found the Manatees to be unusual because they are mammals but live in water. They have lungs and breathe air just like other mammals. Genetically their close 'cousin' is the Elephants.
They can hold their breath, under water, up to 20 minutes before coming to the surface for air.
The Florida Manatee has a large tube shape body, a flat paddle shaped tail and two short flippers. Adult manatee average 10 feet long and weighs around 1200 lbs. They could live for 60 years or more. At birth calf (baby manatee) ranges from 3 to 4 feet long and weigh 60 to 75 lbs.
Like Elephants, Manatees are herbivorous. They eat sea grasses and other aquatic plants. Their teeth are molars only. I was told at the learning center that throughout their life new rear molar keep growing, pushing off and replacing the front molar. Amazing.
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| Theresia with a 'baby manatee'. |
Florida Manatees like warm water; they can not stand water temperatures below 68 F for long extended time. During the winter, warm water discharge from Tampa Electric power plant provide refuge for the manatees in the water around the power plant. So the best time to view the manatees here, is during the cold winter months. We saw over one hundred manatees.
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| Power plant |
If you like nature and like to learn more about manatees, I highly recommend that you visit this place. It is about 45 minutes drive from Cearwater.
Here is a link to the Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Center. Admission is free.
