Wednesday, March 30, is Manatee Appreciation Day

Image 1 of 12

Courtesy: David Schrichte on Facebook and on Manateepics.com

The state of Florida is rejoicing this Wednesday as they celebrate one of its most beloved aquatic animals: Manatees!

That’s right; Wednesday, March 30, 2016 is “Manatee Appreciation Day."

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

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.