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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Manatees Wanted (1 Viewer)

Archie Archer

Archie Archer

Association of Satirical Birders & Ornithologi
I'll be flying over to Orlando this Friday for 14 days of Disney/Aviform fun.

I'm armed with the trusty 'Where to Watch Birds in Florida' so finding the important birds shouldn't be a problem.

Can anyone out there provide me with any reliable sites where I could see wild Manatees? I realise that I will have to drive quite a distance from Orlando but the closer the better really.

Thanking you in anticipation........
 
Archie Archer said:
I'll be flying over to Orlando this Friday for 14 days of Disney/Aviform fun.

I'm armed with the trusty 'Where to Watch Birds in Florida' so finding the important birds shouldn't be a problem.

Can anyone out there provide me with any reliable sites where I could see wild Manatees? I realise that I will have to drive quite a distance from Orlando but the closer the better really.

Thanking you in anticipation........
Click to expand...

Arch,

Merritt Island has a Mantee watch point.....

Tom
 
Periwinkle said:
Arch,

Merritt Island has a Mantee watch point.....

Tom
Click to expand...

Well done Mr Perrins, four or five of these fascinating creatures showing well down to a few feet away at this particular site a few weeks ago. Mind you I'm still suffering from the mosquito bites I had to endure whilst enjoying them. I might claim Western Nile Virus in order to get a extra week or two off work.
 
maersk said:
homosassa springs, in citrus county on the west coast of florida is a very reliable place to see manatees.
Click to expand...

The Manatees in the actual Homosassa Springs Park are captive, although wild Manatee can be found in nearby rivers at the right time of year.
 
of course it depends on the time of year. I went in January 2007 to the Merritt Island sighting platform and had 4 straight away, plus 1 at NASA and a few around the Withlacoochee River in Homossassa. Try Merritt Island area.
 
Is this one any good for you:t:
Slight problem-it was in Egypt so a bit far to travel but it might wet your appetite:eat:
Hope you enjoy the trip and get to see what you want.
 

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David are you trying to pass off the Marsa alam dugong as a manatee? outrageous!

Seriously I'm really jealous, whenver I tried that site it wasn't there (did see the turtles and guitarsharks though so can't complain).
 
Isurus said:
David are you trying to pass off the Marsa alam dugong as a manatee? outrageous!

Seriously I'm really jealous, whenver I tried that site it wasn't there (did see the turtles and guitarsharks though so can't complain).
Click to expand...

Isurus
I've never been sure if they are the same or just similar to the Manatee. Below is a quote from a reference book which seems to state they are the same but other references say they are similar.
We had some great diving there and further down the coast. The school would just drop me & my mate off at any point we wanted then come back in an hour to pick us up. We were effectively the only people on the reef-magic

The area between the mainland and the islands is a vast area of coral sand flats, which provide the home for a very endangered species of marine mammal - the Dudong, of Indo-Pacific Manatee.
 
David Smith said:
Isurus
I've never been sure if they are the same or just similar to the Manatee. Below is a quote from a reference book which seems to state they are the same but other references say they are similar.
We had some great diving there and further down the coast. The school would just drop me & my mate off at any point we wanted then come back in an hour to pick us up. We were effectively the only people on the reef-magic

The area between the mainland and the islands is a vast area of coral sand flats, which provide the home for a very endangered species of marine mammal - the Dudong, of Indo-Pacific Manatee.
Click to expand...


David - they are different but in the same family. There are 3 or 4 species of manatee (a new one has just been found) in one genus and the dugong stands alone its own genus. The basic rule is Atlantic = manatee, pacific = dugong.

Dugong are more ocean going, less sluggish and cooler.

I've done the truck diving there a couple of times - it really is awesome.
 
Thanks for that.
Are you based in Tortola? If so, why would you want to go anywhere else to dive??
I'm not jealous in the slightest-I can look out of my window at any time and see, well, er! Clouds?:-C:C
 
Yeah - I am now. To be honest the diving in Egypt knocks the socks off the diving out here (one of our local instructors is leaving here to go there on holiday!) but the upside is I do get to get in nice warm water every weekend.
 
Isurus said:
David are you trying to pass off the Marsa alam dugong as a manatee? outrageous!

Seriously I'm really jealous, whenver I tried that site it wasn't there (did see the turtles and guitarsharks though so can't complain).
Click to expand...

I missed the dugong there too! The turtles and guitarsharks were fab though and we also had whale sharks from the boat between dive sites! (Unfortunately the sea was too rough to dive with them).
 
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