Manatees

A polar vortex that has hit much of the U.S. with ice and snow has dealt a glancing blow to Florida and its manatee population. The manatees have been forced to seek warmer waters as coastal temperatures have dropped. The warm-water outflows of about a dozen power plants around Florida are a popular destination for them besides inland natural springs....

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It’s Manatee Appreciation day and NBC6’s Xochitl Hernandez spoke to the Director of Florida’s Conservation Program for tips on how to protect the gentle giants of the sea.

On Manatee Appreciation Day, we look into why the animals are so crucial to Florida’s economy and environment.

Dozens of chilly manatees are seen huddling together in the warm waters near a power plant as temperatures drop across South Florida.