Current:Home > ContactIndexbit-Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch -Wealth Evolution Experts
Indexbit-Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch
NovaQuant View
Date:2025-04-10 12:45:10
While the rest of the country may have Indexbitlaughed at Florida for being cold in 50-degree weather, manatees were cozying up to each other to escape the chilly waters.
A video from the Southwest Florida Water Management District posted on Friday shows hundreds of manatees speckling the shoreline of the Three Sisters Springs, located north of Tampa.
That shoreline was recently renovated to restore the habitat, which is critical for manatees seeking the warm waters from the spring, according to a post on the restoration project by the organization.
Three Sisters Springs is part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the only national wildlife refuge in the U.S. dedicated to protecting manatees.
Manatees in Florida:Viral video of manatee's living conditions feels like a 'gut punch,' sparks relocation from Florida facility
Why do manatees huddle together?
According to a post by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, aquatic mammals don't get heat from being so close together, but rather they are all trying to fit in the small springs where the water is warmer.
While the beloved sea cows may look cute all crowded together, that means they don't cuddle so much as huddle close to shore.
Manatees, native to Florida, deemed a threatened species
The Florida manatee is a large, gray aquatic mammal native to the region. They typically grow to be nine to 10 feet long and weigh approximately 1,000 pounds.
The Florida manatee was classified as an endangered species before its population reached more than 7,500 and it was reclassified as "threatened," meaning it still could become an endangered species in the near future.
Collisions with boats and loss of habitats that provide warm waters, like the one at Crystal River, threaten the manatee population. Many manatees are also struggling to find food.
"The loss of warm water refuges is seen as a serious long-term threat to the continued existence of the manatee," according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Due to the inability to regulate their body temperature (thermoregulate) in cold water, cold stress is a serious threat to the manatee."
The big, blobby creatures are plant-eaters, often feeding on seagrass that has earned them the nickname, "sea cows."
Contributing: Jim Waymer, Florida Today
veryGood! (466)
Related
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- EU Utilities Vow End to Coal After 2020, as Trump Promises Revival
- Avatar Editor John Refoua Dead at 58
- The number of mothers who die due to pregnancy or childbirth is 'unacceptable'
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Emma Heming Willis Wants to Talk About Brain Health
- Get Your Wallets Ready for Angelina Jolie's Next Venture
- 13 Things to Pack if You're Traveling Alone for a Safe, Fun & Relaxing Solo Vacation
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Global Warming Was Already Fueling Droughts in Early 1900s, Study Shows
Ranking
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Idaho dropped thousands from Medicaid early in the pandemic. Which state's next?
- Trump’s EPA Fast-Tracks a Controversial Rule That Would Restrict the Use of Health Science
- North Carolina’s Goal of Slashing Greenhouse Gases Faces Political Reality Test
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Obama Unveils Sharp Increase in Auto Fuel Economy
- The Truth About the Future of The Real Housewives of New Jersey
- Idaho Murder Case: Suspect Bryan Kohberger Indicted By Grand Jury
Recommendation
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
3 abortion bans in Texas leave doctors 'talking in code' to pregnant patients
Come on Barbie, Let's Go Shopping: Forever 21 Just Launched an Exclusive Barbie Collection
U.S. lawmakers open probe into PGA Tour-LIV Golf plan
Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
These 6 tips can help you skip the daylight saving time hangover
How Do You Color Match? Sephora Beauty Director Helen Dagdag Shares Her Expert Tips
Coronavirus ‘Really Not the Way You Want To Decrease Emissions’