Every winter, thousands of graceful creatures — mistaken for mythical mermaids many years ago — glide below the surface in Florida’s rivers and waterways. And you can swim alongside them, like Troop 9005 of Jacksonville, Fla., did last February.
During colder months, manatees slowly paddle into the warmer waters found in Florida’s natural springs. Tour guides can take you to locations where manatees gather, but you must follow certain rules.
MANATEE RESCUE EFFORTS
Troop 9005 had visited manatees before, booking a tour boat that took the Scouts to places where they could snorkel alongside the animals. They loved it and wanted to go again. After learning in school what a vital role seagrasses have in a manatee’s diet, the girls better understood the need for conservation.
“It really opens your eyes to the environment and how it works and how fragile it is,” says Eagle Scout Emmalyn Custis, 13.
Fifty years ago, researchers counted as few as 800 Florida manatees in the wild, prompting officials to classify them as endangered. Today, their population is around 11,000…