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Fun facts for Manatee Appreciation Day

By FOX 13 News staff
Published  March 31, 2017 4:55pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 5 Atlanta
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Courtesy: David Schrichte on Facebook and on Manateepics.com

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The state of Florida is celebrating one of its most beloved aquatic animals today: Manatees!

That’s right; Wednesday, March 29, 2017 is “Manatee Appreciation Day."

NationalDayCalendar.com says the day always falls on the final Wednesday in the month of March.

RELATED: Gator swims with manatees at Blue Spring State Park

In honor of the day, here are some fun facts about manatees:

  • They have a life span of about 60 years.
  • They are docile creatures, and have no natural enemies.
  • They like slow rivers, canals, saltwater bays, estuaries and coastal areas.
  • They are a migratory species, and inhabit Florida waters during the winters, and then move as far north as Virginia, and as far west as Texas, in the summer months.
  • The manatee only eats vegetables.
  • The most significant challenge they face today is loss of habitat.
  • There are about 3,200 manatees living in the US at this time.

Several photos above shared courtesy of David Schrichte. Click here to follow his adventures on Facebook, or here to check out more from his website Manateepics.com.

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