Current:Home > ScamsHundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch -ProfitSphere Academy
Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch
View
Date:2025-04-12 21:02:45
While the rest of the country may have laughed 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! (92686)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Viral video of Biden effigy beating prompts calls for top Kansas Republican leaders to resign
- See Vanderpump Rules' Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Face Off in Uncomfortable Preview
- Stanford star, Pac-12 Player of the Year Cameron Brink declares for WNBA draft
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Romanian court grants UK’s request to extradite Andrew Tate, once local legal cases are concluded
- Georgia restricted transgender care for youth in 2023. Now Republicans are seeking an outright ban
- Ryan Gosling's I'm Just Ken Oscars Secrets Revealed: Emma Stone Moment, Marilyn Inspiration and More
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- NFL free agency winners, losers: Cowboys wisely opt not to overspend on Day 1
Ranking
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Stanford star, Pac-12 Player of the Year Cameron Brink declares for WNBA draft
- Pregnant Hilary Duff's Husband Matthew Koma Undergoes Vasectomy Ahead of Welcoming Baby No. 4
- Karl Wallinger of UK bands World Party and the Waterboys dies at 66: Reports
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- If there is a Mega Millions winner Tuesday, they can collect anonymously in these states
- From US jail, Venezuelan general who defied Maduro awaits potentially lengthy sentence
- Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers from March 11, 2024 lottery drawing
Recommendation
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Dozens hurt by strong movement on jetliner heading from Australia to New Zealand
NFL free agency winners, losers: Cowboys wisely opt not to overspend on Day 1
Man convicted of shooting Indianapolis officer in the throat sentenced to 87 years in prison
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
Trump, in reversal, opposes TikTok ban, calls Facebook enemy of the people
Keke Palmer, Jimmy Fallon talk 'Password' Season 2, best celebrity guests
Mississippi Senate votes to change control of Jackson’s troubled water system