Current:Home > ContactChainkeen Exchange-Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch -WealthX
Chainkeen Exchange-Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch
Charles H. Sloan View
Date:2025-04-11 10:20:09
While the rest of the country may have Chainkeen Exchangelaughed 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! (8)
Related
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Meet RDDT: Popular social platform Reddit to sell stock in an unusual IPO
- Two more candidates file papers to run for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania
- The Leap from Quantitative Trading to Artificial Intelligence
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- Meet the cast of Netflix's 'Avatar The Last Airbender' live action series
- Volkswagen recalls over 260,000 vehicles due to issues with fuel tank suction pumps
- Americans have more credit card debt than savings again in 2024. How much do they owe?
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- 'What we have now is not college football': Nick Saban voices frustration after retirement
Ranking
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Hey, guys, wanna know how to diaper a baby or make a ponytail? Try the School for Men
- Baylor hosts Houston is top showdown of men's college basketball games to watch this weekend
- DeSantis calls takeover of Disney government a ‘success’ despite worker exodus, litigation
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- Sylvester Stallone warns actors not to do their own stunts after on-set injuries
- Get Rid of Redness in an Instant, Frizzy Hair in 60 Seconds & More With My Favorite New Beauty Launches
- Tom Hanks' Son Chet Hanks Heats Up His TV Career With New Mindy Kaling Role
Recommendation
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Trial over Black transgender woman’s death in rural South Carolina focuses on secret relationship
Best Home Gym Equipment of 2024: Get Strong at Home
Tom Hanks' Son Chet Hanks Heats Up His TV Career With New Mindy Kaling Role
Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
MLB players miffed at sport’s new see-through pants, relaying concerns to league
South Carolina bans inmates from in-person interviews. A lawsuit wants to change that
Seattle officer won't face felony charges for fatally hitting Jaahnavi Kandula in 2023