REDDOG DIVING - FLORIDA MANATEES
Doug Cook’s Website for Scuba Diving
Adventures
and
Underwater Photography
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The
manatee
or sea cow is an endangered species in the Caribbean
area. It is found around the coast of Florida where its main
enemy is boats whose propellers gouge the docile vegetarian animals that may be
swimming just below the surface. The manatee can grow to 10 to 12 feet long and
up to 1800 pounds. In the colder months of winter they congregate in warmer
inland waters, especially at Crystal River north of Tampa,
Florida. At Crystal
River, the large King
Spring feeds at a relatively warm 73 deg F flow of water pure Floridan aquifer
water into the river. Manatees enjoy
this water and the abundant floating water hyacinth. Hold a bunch of this and you will have them
eating out of your hand!
I
left Key Largo in 1982 with Elizabeth to go to the
University of Florida
Graduate School in Gainesville.
Crystal River
and other nearby springs became our recreation focus as a surrogate for the
reefs of Key Largo.
Boater’s
warning in Crystal River
Elizabeth exploring King Spring
Elizabeth exploring King Spring
Some manatee
are fitted with radio tracking devices attached to their tails. You can see the floating antennas and the
noses of docile manatee just above the surface.
The radio
tracking harness on a boat propeller scarred tail.
The manatee’s
closest relative is the elephant.
The manatees
at Crystal River are friendly to divers but they
have a roped off restricted area to go to keep from being harassed by too many
people.
Gentle loving
creatures.
Mother and
baby.
Crystal River is a fertile garden for the vegetarian manatee.
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