Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, FL Dec. 13, 2009 The fishermen who were in the "Fishbowl" became very excited when they saw these snook swimming around in the spring.
"Lorelei" and another manatee near the mouth of Homosassa Spring.
Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park Dec. 13, 2009 This manatee, named "Lorelei", is a year-round resident of the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park. One of the park volunteers pitched carrots into the water to attract her and others. I was surprised to hear that she had been scrubbed by park staff to remove the algae growing on her skin, since she doesn't go into the salt water. The early sailors who thought these huge, gray mammals were mermaids had been at sea WAAAY too long! ;) These gentle animals are herbivores, they normally eat sea grass. Manatees cannot tolerate water temperatures below 68 degrees F, so they move into the rivers in the winter.
