Manatee Viewing


Students demonstrate the best way to view manatees in the wild: from a distance. Please don't touch manatees or give them food or water.
Photo © Robert Rattner  

Florida manatees are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems of the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish, or salt water. Manatees prefer waters that are about one to two meters (3-7 feet) deep. Along the coast, manatees tend to travel in water that is about three to five meters (10-16 feet) deep, and they are rarely seen in areas over six meters (20 feet) deep. This habitat provides them with sheltered living and breeding areas, a steady, easily obtainable food supply and warm water -- all of which they need to survive.

Remember to Look, But Don't Touch. For their own protection, wild animals need to stay wild to survive.

Get the Tips! Before viewing manatees in the wild, please read manatee protection tips for boaters and divers and swimmers.

Check Out Videos
Diver practicing passive observation of a manatee.

Passive Observation Video: Manatee advocate and underwater photographer Tracy Colson documents the wonderful views of natural manatee behavior that snorklers can get by practicing passive observation: float on the surface, be still and quiet, and keep your hands to yourself. The video includes beautiful footage of resting manatees, a manatee doing a barrel roll, and more. Click the image above or click Go>> to start the video.

See more videos on YouTube created by Tracy and Mark Santa-Maria: Manatee Viewing Guidelines for divers and swimmers and Manatee Documentary.

Brochures

If You Love Us,
Please Don't Feed Us
Yes, we know you love manatees, and that's why you want to give them some of your chocolate chip cookies. But we need to resist the urge to feed manatees and give them water. Find out why. (pdf)

If You Love Me,
Please Don't Touch Me
"I don’t understand how touching manatees can be harmful to them. They’re so big! I could never hurt them." As neat as it is to hang out with manatees, discover why "hands off" is the best way to protect them. (pdf)

To See Manatees Living In The Wild:

There are lots of places in Florida to observe manatees. In the winter when the weather is cooler, generally November through March, you might be able to see manatees in the wild, clustered around warm water sources:

Florida's East Coast:

Blue Spring State Park
Orange City, FL (between Orlando and Daytona Beach)
386-775-3663
www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/default.cfm
See the Blue Spring manatees in SMC's Adopt-A-Manatee program

Manatee Observation & Education Center
480 North Indian River Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
(772) 466-1600 ext. 3333
www.manateecenter.com

Florida Power and Light Co.
Manatee Observation Center
(usually open January 2 through February 28)
Riviera Beach, FL
1-800-552-8440
www.fpl.com (choose Environment, Environmental Education, Florida's Endangered Species, and then Florida Manatees)
Note: Due to a heightened security status, the FPL Riviera Beach Manatee Viewing Area is currently closed.

Check out FPL's Manatee Webcam during the winter months
and see manatees gathered at the warm water effluent of the power plant.


Florida's West Coast:

Tampa Electric Company
Manatee Viewing Center
(open November through April 15)
Apollo Beach, FL
813-228-4289 for an information recording
www.tampaelectric.com/manatee
Check out their Manatee Web Cam!
See the Tampa Bay manatees in SMC's Adopt-A-Manatee program


Lee County Manatee Park
(open year-round)
Ft. Myers, FL
239-690-5030
www.leeparks.org
(choose Facilities, Parks, Parks I - N, and then Manatee Park)


To See Manatees Living In Captivity:

If the weather is warmer, manatees are more widely dispersed. A few manatees may range as far north as Massachusetts and as far west as Texas during the summer months, but these sightings are rare. Summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina are relatively common.

From April through October, you will probably only be able to see manatees at captive facilities.


Florida's West Coast:

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Homosassa, FL (75 miles north of Tampa)
352-628-5343
www.HomosassaSprings.org
See the Homosassa Springs manatees in SMC's Adopt-A-Manatee program


Lowry Park Zoo
Tampa, FL
813-935-8552
www.lowryparkzoo.com
(Choose Animals and Attractions, Animal Habitat Areas, and then Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center)


Parker Manatee Aquarium
South Florida Museum
Bradenton, FL
941-746-4131
www.southfloridamuseum.org (then choose The Aquarium)



Central Florida:

SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, FL
1-888-800-5447
www.seaworld.com (choose Orlando, Explore SeaWorld, Exhibits, and then Manatee Rescue)


The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot/Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, FL
407-824-4321
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com
(choose Parks, Epcot, Attractions, The Seas with Nemo & Friends)


Florida's East Coast:

Miami Seaquarium
Miami, FL
305-361-5705
www.miamiseaquarium.com
(Choose Visitor Information, Show and Exhibit Info, then Manatee Presentation)


To See Manatees Outside of Florida:

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Powell, Ohio
614-645-3550 or (800) MONKEYS
www.colszoo.org
(Choose Explore Your Zoo, Zoo Regions, and then Shores)


Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Cincinnati, Ohio
513-281-4700 or 1-800-94-HIPPO
www.cincyzoo.org
(Choose Animals & Exhibits, Mammals, and then Florida Manatee under the heading "Other Mammals")



Please Note: sharing this information does not constitute an endorsement of these facilities.

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