Four women in clear canoes waited in awe as the giant sea creature glided underneath. They all kept their paddles out of the water to let the manatee, which was longer than either boat, swim undisturbed. Many manatees return to Florida in November after spending the summer and fall months in the Gulf. They are common in waters near Florida, Louisiana, and even as far West as Texas. As the weather gets slightly colder, however, many of them return to Florida’s warmest waters. People often associate manatees with Florida. Locals and tourists alike enjoy seeing these peaceful creatures known as “sea cows.” Fortunately, manatees are not aggressive. These women seemed to know that and did not worry at all about being so close to the animal. They are just as peaceful as the manatee, which swims leisurely along. While this video does not include a more specific location tag, many manatees live in Tampa’s Electric Manatee Viewing Center, Everglades National Park, and Biscayne National Park.
Are Manatees Endangered?
Manatees are protected by multiple national and local laws. These include the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. These women seemed to know that interfering with a manatee’s natural behavior is not good for the animal. It is also illegal to feed or harass them. These women let the manatee swim by without disturbing it or trying to get its attention. After its encounter with the canoers, the manatee continues its swim. It stays close to the shore and does not veer off course or change direction as it approaches a dock. The women watch as the graceful manatee swims away. They keep their paddles out of the water even once it is past. They do stop to take photos of the manatee as it swims underneath their canoes and continues its journey.
