Why are manatees so friendly?

Do you love wildlife? Do you enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitat?

If that’s a yes on both questions, you will love an adventure with manatees! These beautiful, large and lumbering sea cows are found in the warm, spring-fed waters of Crystal River, Florida.

Charming, adorable creatures

Manatees have an egg-shaped head, thick wrinkled skin, jointed and flexible pectoral flippers, a paddle-shaped tail, and bristly hairs covering their bodies—all of which makes their body a fantastic spectacle!

Their grey body appears brownish-grey in the water and their massive size makes them a rare aquatic sight, making the opportunity to snorkel with an animal of their size a rare treat!

Manatees are wonderful mothers, and you will enjoy watching as they nurse their calves. Manatee mothers show care and affection for their young for a period of up to two years after birth while their calves remain entirely dependent on them for food and protection.

So why are manatees so friendly?

1. They have no natural predators

Manatees have a kind and fearless demeanor because of the lack of natural predators. They have also not developed an elaborate escape response or aggression mechanism, so they tend to handle most situations with an incredible degree of gentleness and respond warmly to people.

2. They have a relaxed disposition

Manatees are typically docile animals that go about their life at a slow pace. Not that they can’t move any faster, but they prefer a slow speed of 3-5 miles per hour.

When they aren’t feeding or traveling, they like to spend most of their time resting and napping throughout the day. Their relaxed nature makes them a great animal to be around.

Manatees tend to graze slowly in shallow waters or sleep in the silt. As long as they are not disturbed while eating or touched on the face or under their flippers, they remain calm and approachable—even friendly and curious. They enjoy lazy days in the warm waters, spending approximately half of the day resting in shallow waters and the other half slowly swimming in search of food.

3. They are curious and attentive

Manatees are keen, vigilant, and curious creatures. When they detect a change in their habitat, they take their time to assess it and respond appropriately. When you dive into the water or snorkel around them, they will watch your movements and even come up to see you. Affectionate animals, they may even choose to come closer and touch you.

The tactile hairs on their body—2000 of which are on their face—are for sensing and feeling things. You shouldn’t be surprised when a manatee rubs its whiskers on your face or on your mask to try to feel what you are. It won’t hurt you!

4. They are outgoing and playful

Although they move carefully in the water, manatees are friendly and easily amused. When excited, manatees love to perform barrel rolls and body surf for entertainment.

And because of their desire for interaction, some manatees will approach you when you snorkel in the water. When you locate a group of manatees, you should expect some to swim over to say hello.

They aren’t hostile, even in situations when they should be. When threatened, they tend to respond by moving away.

5. They need warm water to survive

Manatees are huge animals, but they lack insulating fat and are unable to control their body temperature. When exposed to extreme cold, manatees suffer from cold shock and die. To survive during winter, they tend to migrate to warm water areas like the warm springs of Crystal River, Florida. But their desire for warmth also means they tend to flock around areas of human activity, including underwater discharge pipes.

Their migratory nature makes them less aggressive because they have learned to cope with humans and other animals they find along their pathways. For the most part, they are either indifferent or non-aggressive to whatever they encounter along their migratory routes.

Delightful Manatees Tours

Spending breathtaking moments around an animal that is curious enough to move toward you and interact with you is an exciting and memorable experience! If you are looking for an adventure in the wild that involves a close and personal encounter with a giant gentle creature, try a manatee tour.

At Manatee Swim Center, we invite you for a fun, enjoyable, and relaxing tour designed to help you make the most of your day in nature. We have been offering manatee tours for years. We have the right equipment and personnel to make your experience with these underwater beasts safe, remarkable, and memorable.

Plus, we love the animals so much that our tours are tailored to emphasize education, preservation, and protection.

Come and have a fun and unforgettable trip with us!