Current:Home > MarketsHundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch -前500条预览:
Hundreds of manatees huddle together for warmth at Three Sisters Springs in Florida: Watch
View
Date:2025-04-15 19:05:58
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! (933)
Related
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- What to know about Netflix's 'Tell Them You Love Me' documentary
- U.S. fast tracks air defense interceptor missiles to Ukraine ahead of other countries
- The surprising inspiration behind Tom Hardy's 'Bikeriders' voice
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- What Euro 2024 games are today? Albania vs. Spain, Croatia vs. Italy on Monday
- Chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants to treat injuries and illnesses, study finds
- Millions in the US prepare for more sweltering heat as floodwaters inundate parts of the Midwest
- Intellectuals vs. The Internet
- Police: 1 arrested in shooting that wounded 7 people in Philadelphia
Ranking
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Georgia's Charlie Condon wins 2024 Golden Spikes Award as top college baseball player
- Shooting at a party in Alabama’s capital leaves 13 injured, officials say
- 105-year-old Washington woman gets master's 8 decades after WWII interrupted degree
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- My day at the ballpark with Mr. and Mrs. Met, the first family of MLB mascots
- Alyson Stoner Addresses Whether They Actually Wanted to Be a Child Star
- College World Series 2024: How to watch Tennessee vs. Texas A&M game Saturday
Recommendation
Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
Michigan sheriff’s deputy fatally shot pursuing a stolen vehicle in Detroit
Christian Pulisic scores early goal in USMNT's Copa America opener vs. Bolivia
What Paul McCartney said about Steven Van Zandt and other 'Disciple' HBO doc revelations
Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
Packers to name Ed Policy as new president and CEO, replacing retiring Mark Murphy
L.A. Olympics official: Leaving Caitlin Clark off 2024 U.S. team 'missed opportunity'
Who owns TikTok? What to know about parent company ByteDance amid sell-or-ban bill for app