COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Manatees in Florida occupy a wide range of near-shore and inland habitats, including shallow coastal water, bays, estuaries, lagoons,
river mouths, rivers, spring runs, and lakes connected to the coast by navigable waterways. They also occupy dredged canals, the Intracoastal Waterway, and artificial (dammed) lakes (25,36,11). Manatees generally require water that is at least one meter in depth
What's WRONG with this Picture?
This is the warm water discharge lagoon at the Tampa Electric Company plant. Warm water areas like this are loaded with manatees in the winter. Instead of migrating south they winter here.
Artificially alterring the manatees environment puts it at risk of a weakened immune system.
Are we protecting the species or somehow altering it?