Swimming with Manatees/Manaatit

When swimming here in the Florida's Gulf of Mexico, we have learned to keep an eye out for dark shapes in the water: I know you are thinking of sharks, but it's the schools of sting rays swimming by we don't care for!

This week Mr. D, Little Miss and I were frolicking about, as I suddenly noticed a dark area right next to us. Yikes!!!

It wasn't sting rays, it was two manatees right by us! Really startled us!!!




So so neat... We were mesmerized! We moved away some, so we wouldn't bother them, but we wanted to keep watching. After a little while I sent Little Miss back to the beach to get my cell phone, so I could take these photos (and video).





Every three to five minutes they would come up to the surface for air, and it looked like they were kissing at times, too. Maybe mating?

Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are subspecies of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). They are herbivores, which calmed Little Miss down, as these mammals are huge! The adult manatee weighs around 1,000 pounds and is about 10 feet long. (No wonder we were startled!!)

You can read more about manatees here. We learned manatees can live up to 50-60 years old, usually have one calf (sometimes twins) every two to three years after a thirteen month gestation.


Here's a short video clip.

You never know what you learn during homeschool PE:)

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Tällä viikolla Mr D, Pikkuneiti ja minä olimme meressä uimassa, kun yhtäkkiä huomasin, että vieressämme oli tumma alue. Tumma alue veden alla täällä usein tarkoittaa ryhmää rauskuja, jotka ovat aika pelottavan näköisiä myrkyllisten (?) väkästensä kanssa.. Mutta tällä kertaa meidän vieressä ei ollut rauskuja, vaan kaksi merilehmän sukuista manaattia! Oli upea kokemus nähdä ne näin läheltä. Siirryimme vähän kauemmaksi, mutta katselimme niitä niin kauan, kunnes uivat pois. Sain otettua nämä kuvat kännykällä.