Скачать или смотреть Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) at Hospital Hole

An extended encounter with a group of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) primarily resting along the edges of Hospital Hole on the Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County, Florida. This is a typical February underwater encounter with cows bulls and calves present. I recognized one manatee from previous visits (the one only briefly visible with a severely sliced - but long healed - tail) but most were new to me. Some were coated in very thick algal growth (which I believe is an indication of how long they've been hanging around in fresh water) and at least one other was dappled with spiky barnacles indicating that they had only recently come inland to the warm spring-fed waters from the Gulf of Mexico to the west. This video, for as mediocre as it is, demonstrates well the mothering instinct of manatees as well as the curiosity of the youngsters. Notice how mother manatee swims between her inquisitive calf and the snorkel-strapped intruder. I have never experienced manatee aggression, but this visit was polished with a sort of wariness I don't often encounter.