14-02-2025
Baby Manatee Getting 'Fresh' with Florida Diver Is Impossible to Resist
Growing up in Florida, I had a few close encounters with Manatees. There was the family of manatees that would swim up and down the river next to my high school. The injured animals who made their homes in the local aquarium. The giant creatures that would cluster so thickly in suburban cans during cold snaps that you could practically walk over their backs to cross the water.
The slow, gentle manatee is one of the most famous (and photogenic) of the Florida megafauna, and unlike panthers or alligators, you don't mind it so much when one approaches you, as this diver recently discovered in a Florida spring.
The young manatee in this clip seems to have taken a shine to Florida diver and tour guide Josh Sander, who posts on social media as 'FloridaGuideJosh.' Here, he is attempting to keep a respectful distance between himself and the manatee, but it's the manatee that is being aggressive.A seasoned guide like Josh knows exactly how one should respect hte wildlife around him. He even posts the guidelines that anyone boating, swimming, or diving in manatee-occupied areas is urged to follow:
Keep a respectful distance (no touching or chasing)
Avoid blocking their paths or crowding them
Watch for signs of stress, like quick movements or bubble trails
Unfortunately, in this case, it's the manatee that is making these guidelines difficult to follow.
Please understand, this situation is extremely unusual, and as cute as it is to have this manatee nuzzling Josh's leg, you should never approach a wild manatee or touch them while swimming or boating near one.
Baby manatees stay with their mothers and nurse for up to two years. During this time, they learn about foraging and migratory routes. Manatees are extremely sensitive to changes in water temperature and must spend cold winters inland, in warmer canals and freshwater springs with stable temperatures year round.
The biggest dangers facing manatees are boating collisions and malnutrition.
To help prevent accidents with manatees, experts advise boaters to wear polarized glasses when moving through waters where manatees are likely to be found, which helps them see under the water and avoid these deadly collisions.
Manatee populations in Florida are suffering extreme food shortages right now, due to major reductions in their food sources of aquatic plants. Climate change and the hurricane season impacted vegetation in springs where manatees make their winter homes. Additionally, a lack of regulation regarding runoff and sewage treatment has also caused major food shortages.
We hope this manatee isn't after the man intros video because he's hungry.
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