I was traveling. I was. Now I'm back.
It was a great adventure driving all over the USA, camping in all the beautiful forests, swimming in the big ocean and the best part that I cannot resist sharing is this:
The Manatee Viewing Centre, in Tampa, as part of their Electric energy facility. Which may strike you as a weird location for Manatees to hang but as it turns out, it is the perfect place for Manatees to hang. As the Electric, Big Bend, power station operates it pulls in fresh canal water to cool off it's reactors. Then the same water is cleaned and put back into the canal at a warmer temperature which is ideal for the Manatee. So they gather there.
While it may not be a perfect system, and no one could really tell me about the other effects of this industry in this location. It does make for a great location to see this wonderful Sea Mammal. The centre is also full of information about the Manatee and how to preserve them.
Humans, we are responsible for this animal's decline, for the most part it seems through fishing, motor boats, pollution, and taking over their space. And more I'm sure but I wanted this post to be up beat and celebratory about this animal!!
If you are lucky, when you go to the website you will be able to activate their on site web cam and look around for yourself at the location.
While I was there in person I was very fortunate and got to observe a wee baby manatee surfacing over and over again while her big momma stayed under the cover of water beside her.
A totally enchanting moment to experience. I'd like for there to be more moments like this for all of us human and manatee alike, please zip through all the links I have included in this post to learn more!
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