Current:Home > StocksHundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch -EquityZone
Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch
View
Date:2025-04-19 13:58:38
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! (48235)
Related
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- Alabama prison sergeant charged with sexual misconduct
- The 2025 Grammy Award nominations are about to arrive. Here’s what to know
- Halle Bailey’s Ex DDG Defends Her Over Message About Son Halo Appearing on Livestream
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Teachers in 2 Massachusetts school districts go on strike
- Full list of 2025 Grammy nominations: Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, more make the cut
- New York bank manager sentenced to prison for stealing over $200K from dead customer: DOJ
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- Democrats retain 1-seat majority control of the Pennsylvania House
Ranking
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Taylor Swift’s Historic 2025 Grammy Nominations Prove She’s Anything But a Tortured Poet
- Florida environmental protection head quits 2 months after backlash of plan to develop state parks
- Massive corruption scandal in Jackson, Miss.: Mayor, DA, councilman all indicted
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- 2024 Election: Kamala Harris' Stepdaughter Ella Emhoff Breaks Silence on Donald Trump’s Win
- Liam Payne Case: 3 People Charged With Abandonment of Person Followed by Death
- Despite Climate Concerns, Young Voter Turnout Slumped and Its Support Split Between the Parties
Recommendation
Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico is set to reopen
Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake: 'Not Like Us' gets record, song of the year Grammy nominations
Gold medalist Noah Lyles beats popular streamer IShowSpeed in 50m race
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Mexican man gets 39 years in Michigan prison for a killing that became campaign issue
Mikey Madison wanted to do sex work 'justice' in 'Anora.' An Oscar could be next.
New York Post journalist Martha Stewart declared dead claps back in fiery column: 'So petty and abusive'