Manatees are frequently seen in the park's river basin basking in the sun and trying to stay warm.

Such was the case again today when two were seen relaxing and soaking up the heat. Manatees can be found in the warm waters of shallow rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal waters. Well known for their gentle, slow-moving nature, manatees have also been known to body surf or barrel roll when playing. They normally rest and feed often. Manatees communicate by squealing under water to demonstrate fear, stress or excitement.

Manatees are protected by law and are listed as endangered. Unfortunately many die in rivers each year. The leading known cause of death is by boat strikes; propellers and hulls inflicting serious or mortal wounds on the manatees. Most manatees have a pattern of scars on their backs or tails after surviving collisions with boats.

                             (Pictures taken by Ruth Woodall and Roger Bennett, text provided by Ruth)