Many Manatees die each year because of…

• Pollution• Cold weather (which gives them the Flu)• Red tide (plankton that poisons manatees and fish)• Getting hit by boats• And running out of food during the winter

We can help them by picking up trash, guiding them to warmer areas, watching your speed limit while boating, and giving them fresh water to drink.

• They breath like we do • They have hair• They are warm blooded• They don’t lay eggs• They give milk to their babies• They have thick layers of fat• They have whiskers• They breath every 3-4 minutes• They sleep under water• When they sleep they float up every 20 minutes• They are herbivores• Their lungs are 2/3 of their body• They circle each other while playing • They breath through their nostrils• They STINK!!!• When they swim they get algae and barnacles stuck to their

backs

• They never stop growing • They are solid and heavy • They look like sea elephants• Scientist think long ago manatees were land

animals• Manatees have toenails• Their noses look like short trunk • Manatees communicate by high pitched sounds

HIBERNATING • In the Winter Manatees go a far north as the Carolinas or as

far west as Louisiana, • they like warm water such as 72 degrees • They need to gather or store a lot of food for the winter

MATING• Mating season- no particular period • Gestation- about 1 year• Number of offspring- I calf• Born weighing 60-70 pounds and 3-4 feet• They nurse underwater and their mom helps them to the

surface

Rarely do single Manatees venture out in 68 degrees or colder water.

Homosassa State Park • You can see Manatees, Alligators and other cool

animals. • Daily Educational Programs at Homosassa Springs

Wildlife ParkWildlife Encounters: 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

• Manatee Programs: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

• Alligator/Hippopotamus Program at 12:30 p.m.

Thank you for watching

The manatees say bye!!!