Manatees In Crystal River Florida

[legoyoshi64]

THE MANATEES ARE ATTACKING!!! RUN 4 UR LIVES!!!

[philbinator1977]

I don't know about this...I mean, cool that you weren't herding them etc like some people do, but I don't think you should be letting them come up to you. I know you said they came of their own free will, but not everyone else will be as gentle as you (hopefully) were with them...they will get used to going up to everyone, and that's not good, right?

[bnvn1]

@philbinator1977 Florida passed a law now and I think nobody can dive in Crystal River with the Manatee's anymore.

[sicosid96]

i live there so i get to swim with them every wekkend :)

[Rachvids2]

I'm probably going to be diving down there with the manatees in November :)

Great video!

[paterson00]

My wife and i have swum with the Manatees in Crystal river. What an amazing experience. We swam with dolphins twice as well but the Manatee's were far better. One of them was trying to eat my wife's hair. We went with Birds underwater.

[MGMStudios1357]

i swam with them just recently! they're such amazing creatures! crystal springs is gorgeous to! save the manatees!!!

[whalelover1231]

we got to swim with manatees in this exact place!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was amazing

i recognize everything!!!!!!

[WeDieYoung1083]

no you didn't, stop lying faggot.

[whalelover1231]

yes i did. we drove from New Mexico to Florida to see my uncle mike and (future) aunt sandy. then drove to new york and back after 2 weeks there in new york! i would know better then you! if Flamingsnowball77 is ever on line ask her; ' did you and your sister go to Florida and swim with manatees in crystal river?' she will say yes i swear

[Windkept]

My friends and I went to Florida to see these majestic animals. He swam up to me and licked my face. It rocked.

[mobiledrummer]

There were some at the Living Seas in DisneyWorld and they swam around their tank very fast

[kool2pure]

i htough that waz a water hog..

[davesarush]

swimming in Florida waters with the purpose of interacting with Manatees is a crime(molestation of an endangered species) punishable by jail time. the reason Manatees are hit by boats is NOT because they are slow but because they are unable to hear in the frequency an approaching motor creates.

[bnvn1]

And I heard they taste like Prime Rib.

[davesarush]

Actually they taste more like sea turtles

[whalelover1231]

it is soo illegal to eat them and turtels..

[whalelover1231]

i think its illegal to eat them...

[kool2pure]

ty,4 da info... now i know im not going to florida for a vacation.

[gifrank2004]

@davesarush But they can still come up to you on their own right? I see the field trippers from the marine science station getting close to them.

[StrangeCupcake]

Poor manatees... They're endangered because they're so defenseless and cant out swim a predator or boat motor. Some one needs to start putting spike collars on them.

[SelGomez10115]

xD

I know. They're my favorite animals and I miss seeing them with my dad... =[

[XxtictacfreshxX]

they dont like scuba bubbles thats why they swam away all of the time...

[bnvn1]

Really? Then why were some coming up to me? I even had some come up and play with the camera while I was scuba diving and they were playing with the bubbles.

[jjdragon660]

coldpenguin345 is a freak! there are 6 billion humans and 2,500 manatees. and like 30 get killed each year! they are important too, so what about poor humans, they can go get a job and education if they cant, too bad. i saw manatees before at seaworld. they are funny and they are cool, unlike coldpenguin!

[jwzock]

sea-beef it's what's for dinner!!!

[n00bssuck]

manatees are my favorite also. save them!

[toolshed9494]

I myself went swimming with them at the same place :)

[mgtaylor2]

I am from Crystal River, Florida; and I must say they are quiet a fun species! They love to be rubbed and interacted with humans.

[JoeyJr8664]

we're gonna go swimming with them hopefully tomorrow, the weather's been pretty bad, we're driving to crystal river from canada and there has been some pretty bad snowstorms on the way up. :(

[Crepefizz]

hey i live there :D

[itsnotjodi]

wow-- i have never seen them swim so fast!! I just uploaded my video from when i swam with them..

[apple22028]

i am going to fl today & going to swim with those things

[Lamenci]

Manatees are my favorite animal they're soooo cute!!!

[ManateeBFF]

My friend has a special relationship with the Manatees & is a Manatee Whisperer of sorts. In his daily interactions, he shows them youtube videos on his high tech underwater laptop computer.

Most times the manatees say they have no problem with the interaction they have with humans. However, they don't like being approached while sleeping, and don't like being "ridden" by some rednecks.

They wanted us to know that "2 hand touching" is far from abuse.

[GamerPro661]

LMFAO!!

[coldpenguin345]

millions of PEOPLE killed and die of starvation and curable diease daily and you all are concerned about manatees. get a grip on reality and try to save some humans. i have gone swimming with manatees and it was fun others in the water had fun too. end of story.

[MiyakoSawada]

Shut up. Manatees are just as important. You shouldn't neglect another aspect of life trying to save another.

[KierrokCyclone]

coldpenguin345 you're a loser, Manatees are freaken awsome

[whalelover1231]

yea but more people are borne than die. and manatees are important to so shut up!

[rozzi55]

Thanks for this I am hoping to be with the manatees in early February. Can´t wait. There are many groups trying to save the manatees. As long as they live this must be good.

[t1mth0ma5]

I enjoy watching them swim!

[slowface6756]

I dove with the manatees in this very place:D

[s32amber]

me too! i go every year:)

[odinsb]

Miss Kathy Jensen, I am disappointed in your ignorance regarding manatees. The behavior displayed by the manatees found in/around gulf coast springs is not natural. This behavior has developed over decades of seemingly innocent handling, chasing and riding of gulf coast manatees by unconcerned individuals such as you Miss Kathy Jensen.

[AGAGAGAOMFGMrLeone]

who are you to say whos behaviour is unnatural!?

specist manatee hater

[zlb1709]

Anyone who doesn't see a crime going on, several crimes for that matter, isn't being objective. I honestly don't care what here motives are. The fact that see people harassing these animals is totally shocking. I think these animals are being exploited so money can go into a tour operator's pocket. Don't get me wrong, I think there are a few small tour operators that take 4-6 people at a time that can do these tours in an ethical way.

[Webkinz7]

Oh my gosh! THEY ARE SO DAM CUTE!

[MissKathyJensen]

Be careful of Starthrower, another presenter of manatee videos, seems to present things and depict situations worse than they actually are. When more reasonable assessment of situations are presented he/she likes to block people from making reasonable replies.

Happened to me. Happened to another.

Looks like now he/she has closed off all replies on them to further avoid being shown to be somewhat ill informed and having exagerations pointed out.

[FLkrakr]

I guess just because YOU don't see it means that it doesn't exist, is that it? Maybe when you start spending a couple days a week, 4-5 hours at a time in the water in CR you'll see what REALLY happens around here.

[bnvn1]

You know, I saw the other video you guys are talking about and what I would want to know is if she is so concerned about the manatees, why did she not just report them right then and there. I have to wonder if she owns water front land and wants all the tourist out of there. Without the tourist, Crystal River would become just like Arcadia FL...

[FLkrakr]

No, she doees not own waterfront land. And it doesn't do any good to report them. The officer has to be there to see it themselves. She's been working trying to get more law enforcement out there to enforce the harassment laws better.

[bnvn1]

I work in video, video is all you need. All one needs to do is get them on video and ask them their names. If the FBI and go after someone with just video, then so can FL FWL. It sounds to me like someone wants the tourist out of that area.

[starthrower]

Are you suggesting that I swim up to a stranger, ask them to remove their mask and snorkel for the camera and state their name while they're at it so that law enforcement can give them a ticket later. I'm not law enforcement. I've been told by law enforcement that they have to witness the act to make a case. I also don't own waterfront land. There is a problem in Crytal River and the videos are for anyone who cares enough to do something about it.

[bnvn1]

Yeah, I am. "Hey, what's up? This is pretty crazy eh? Where Are You Guys From? Really? Cool, what's your name?  HI I'm ... Which tour are you with? What just happened (as they spill the beans on video).

If your going to go out with a camera and try and be a journalist, BE A Fn journalist! Don't be some drive media loser only reporting half the story with nothing to back it up. If you see a crime, document the faces and places as well as the crime.

[Candinae01]

My comment is in regards to another video by starthrower. First of all, Crystal river is warmed by a spring that dumps into the area, not the sun. During the winter, when it is colder, it is colder because the angle of the planet results in less sunlight hitting that area of Earth. Therefore, how can the sun be warming the water if less light is hitting it?

[MissKathyJensen]

Starthrower, another presenter of manatee videos, seems to present things and depict situations worse than they actually are and when more reasonable assessment of the situations are presented he/she likes to then make easily challengable statements and blocks people from making reasonable replies.

Happened to me. Happened to another.

Now has closed off all replies on one where he/she was being shown to be somewhat ill informed.

[Candinae01]

Secondly, manatees are not fast swimmers. Just because a manatee is not swimming away quickly, doesn't mean that they are enjoying the interaction. In most of the videos I have seen about people interacting with manatees in terms of pulling and grabbing, they try to get away. I guess if we go with your reasoning, if a manatee is swimming away and being followed by divers, it must not be trying to get away. It must be playing then.

[Candinae01]

Thirdly, research shows that manatee populations in crystal river are suffering due to human interactions/harassment, so how is Starthrower depictinig the situation wrongly?

[MissKathyJensen]

Good video. One of the best I've seen.

Thank you for not disturbing them while they were sleeping.

[titch2000]

yeah i swam there for my hloiday!

[millersnet]

Great video, this is how to interact with manatees.

[SPACECOWGIRL04]

this video is awesome!!! yea!!