Crystal River, Florida USA

The Crystal River, located about 100km north of Tampa, Florida USA, is a short, tidal river that flows 11 kilometers from the headsprings to where it meets the Gulf of Mexico at Crystal Bay.

The Crystal River/Kings Bay area is the second largest springs group in Florida with more than 70 springs scattered within the 2.5sqkm bay. The water that flows from the springs into the river and the bay is at a constant 22°C throughout the year. Thanks to these springs, the area is the largest natural winter refuge for manatees in the world, hosting over 550 manatees each winter as prolonged exposure to water temperatures below 18°C can be lethal to them. During the summer month the population is reduced to around 30 animals. It is estimated that there are around 9’000 Manatees in Florida.

The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. The manatee's closest relatives are the elephant and the hyrax (a small, gopher-sized mammal). The average adult manatee is about 3 meters long and weighs between 350 and 550 kg. Manatees are mammals, they breathe air, have warm blood and produce milk.

Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas — particularly where seagrass beds or freshwater vegetation flourish. Manatees are a migratory species. Within the United States, they are concentrated in Florida in the winter. In summer months, they can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, but summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are more common. Florida manatees have been known to migrate as far south as Cuba.

The Florida manatee has no natural enemies and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. Most non-natural manatee fatalities occur from collisions with watercraft.

The reproductive rate for manatees is low. Manatees are not sexually mature until they are about five years old. The gestation period is 13 months. It is believed that one calf is born every two to five years. Mothers nurse their young for one to two years, during which time a calf remains dependent on its mother.

The Florida manatees in the United States are protected under federal law.