(WSVN) - It’s the last Wednesday of March, and that means it’s Manatee Appreciation Day!
The special day aims to remind people to respect and take care of Florida’s sea cows.
Manatees are considered to be one of the Sunshine State’s keystone species that can alert researchers to the environmental and habitat changes that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
Floridians and tourists are likely to encounter manatees more in the winter when they head to warmer waters, such as springs and power plant discharges.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advises people to look but not touch the gentle giants.
In 1975, the manatee was designated as the state marine mammal.
They can grow to be as large as 8 to 14 feet in length and can weigh over a ton.
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