MANATEES IN FLORIDA

Bobbie, my good friend who is a true cracker, born and raised in these parts, suggested we go see the Manatees that are “hosted” by TECO just south of Tampa.  TECO has built a marvelous viewing center for visitors, and the best visitors are the manatees, who love to come there, as TECO spews hot water from it’s plant, and manatees must have warm water.   When the water temperature of Tampa Bay falls below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the manatees start to gather.   Bobbie and I went to visit on one day and  I was so excited I took my kids with me the very next day.  Bobbie and I must have seen at least 200 manatees, but the next day wasn’t quite as good.  The center has marvelous volunteers, ramps from which to view the manatees, a great gift shop, a snack shop, an arbored walkway along the beach with signage for all the marvelous plants, a butterfly garden, birds, an educational room with games, pictures, etc., a hurricane simulator, machines that make rubber manatees – oh my gosh!.  The Manatee Viewing Center is home to a 40-panel, 7,000-watt photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array. Installed atop the Center’s education building, visitors can see this impressive system from the main parking lot and learn more about how solar power is generated.  What a shame so many died in the cold a couple of weeks ago.  Apparently they didn’t all get to the T ECO viewing center. The Manatee Viewing Center is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., November 1 through April 15. (The center is closed Thanksgiving, at 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Easter.) From home, you can operate the center’s east and west Web cameras. Make your reservations here for your class or group to visit the Manatee Viewing Center. For more information, call (813) 228-4289.

Directions to the Manatee Viewing Center.

The Manatee Viewing Center is proud to feature free parking and admission for its guests. Any donations you choose to make to the center are greatly appreciated and go directly toward the purchase and maintenance of educational exhibits and publications that can help teach more visitors about the manatee and the many animals and plants that share its habitat.

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