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Swimming with manatees in Florida.
Crystal River is the only place is Florida where it is legal to swim with manatees in their natural habitat.
Every year, during the winter months, manatees start heading to warmer waters. Manatees need to be in water at least 72 degrees F in order to survive the winter months, and Florida springs are a popular place for them to congregate because that’s the temperature the water constantly remains at, no mater the time of year.
Crystal River is a popular place to not only see the manatees, but it is also the only place in the USA where it is legal to be able to swim with the manatees. You can’t just jump in the water with them, however. It is necessary to go through an authorized guide, who will inform you of how to swim with manatees responsibly, and to ensure that you do. The best way to describe how to swim with manatees is that you are a passive observer. You are there to look and not touch, and to tread lightly while in the water. Also, you are instructed to ensure that the manatee is trapped, so making a horseshoe around the manatee is instructed. The reason why there are so many rules and regulations is because manatees were added to the endangered species list in 196, and given federal protection. Recently, the manatee status was downgraded to threatened status, due to the conservation efforts put in place in places like Florida, Puerto Rico and…
