Although manatees are large and powerful, they are unaggressive and avoid confrontation. Their sense of sight is limited to color differentiation and some depth perception. Despite the absence of external ear lobes, they have a keen sense of hearing. Manatees give birth every two to five years following a gestation period of 13 months. They communicate with their calves using squeaks and squeals.
Manatees spend the majority of their lives feeding and resting.
Florida manatees can be found in rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas of Florida and south Georgia. They continually search for habitats with mild water temperatures and fresh or saltwater grassbeds. Although the present population estimate of Florida manatee is more than 2,000, continued development of Florida's shoreline threatens the manatee's survival. It was the first weekend in February when I accompanied 14 Spring Hill students to Crystal River along central Florida's west coast. Dotted with warm, freshwater springs, the river's headwaters at Kings Bay provide incredible opportunities for interaction with herds of manatees that make it their home during the winter.