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Relax with this female manatee as she leans back, stretches and takes a breath near submerged cypress tree roots in Little Sister Spring. The warm blue freshwater of the Three Sisters Springs invites manatees to come bask in the warmth. It is vital these few remaining natural warm water Florida spring habitats are protected for the manatees to flock to in the cooler months. Mangrove snapper, Lutjanus griseus, and a few bream, Lepomis spp., are also present to share the treasured habitat. I was very still in the water column and holding my breath to witness this natural and engaging manatee behavior. Taken at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, Kings Bay, Crystal River, Citrus County, Florida USA. Florida manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. IUCN Red List: Endangered. USFWS proposed downlisting to Threatened for 2017: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22106/0
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Carol Grant, Citrus County, Crystal River, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Florida manatees, Lepomis spp., Lutjanus griseus, Sirenians, Three Sisters Springs, Trichechus manatus latirostris, bream, brim, endangered, female animal, fishes, floating, gray snapper, herbivores, manatees, mangrove snapper, marine mammals, stretching, sunfish, tree roots, underwater, www.oceangrant.com, ©Carol Grant
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