“Manatees are aquatic mammals and, as such, do not possess any visible legs or hind limbs. Manatees have a vestigial pelvic bone which suggests that at some point during their evolution, they did have legs like their closest living relatives the elephant and hyrax. They use their paddle-like tail and front flippers to propel themselves in the water”
What are manatees?
Manatees are large aquatic mammals found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. They are sometimes referred to as sea cows due to their gentle and slow-moving nature. Manatees have thick, wrinkled skin, rounded bodies, and paddle-shaped tails. The Florida Manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian Manatee and lives primarily in coastal Florida waters. They average in size from 9 - 10 feet in length and weigh around 1,000 pounds. The largest manatee on record measured 15 feet long and weighed 3,649 pounds! Manatees are herbivores and feed primarily on seagrass and other aquatic plants. Manatees have poor eyesight but have well-developed senses of hearing and touch. They spend most of their time sleeping, eating, and traveling solo.
How do manatees move?
Manatees are aquatic mammals and, as such, do not possess any visible legs or hind limbs. Manatees have a vestigial pelvic bone which suggests that at some point during their evolution, they did have legs like their closest living relatives the elephant and hyrax. They use their paddle-like tail and front flippers to propel themselves in the water. In some cases, manatees have been observed using their flippers to pull themselves onto land to reach vegetation when aquatic vegetation is scarce. However, they are not able to walk on land with their flippers. Sometimes, manatees use their flippers to push themselves along the bottom in shallow water, this can make a manatee look like he's walking along the bottom.
Where can you see manatees?
Are you looking to see manatees for yourself? The best way to see manatees is to join a manatee swim tour in Crystal River, FL. Manatee tours offer a unique opportunity to observe these gentle and majestic creatures in their natural habitat. A guided tour gives you a chance to get up close and personal with these gentle giants while learning more about their behavior, habits, and anatomy. Manatee swim tours also provide a great opportunity to get amazing photos and videos of these majestic creatures. Furthermore, manatee swim tours are typically led by experienced guides who are extremely knowledgeable about the species and can provide you with valuable insight and information.
Crystal River in Citrus County Florida is one of the only places in the world where you can legally swim with manatees, this even includes three sisters springs. Manatees are protected by federal law, but River Ventures, a local dive shop and adventure center has been granted special permission by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to operate manatee tours in Crystal River Florida where the largest concentration of manatees can be found during manatee season. Manatee Season is during the winter months (November - April), but there is a resident population of manatees that can be seen year-round in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.