The adventure is complete. Spent the day swimming with these gentle giants in Crystal Lake, Florida. Wish to send a special thanks to the folks at River Ventures for helping to make this dream a reality. The entire staff was amazing to include boat captain Casey as well as our guide Scott.

An amazing experience that I hope everyone takes the time to experience. The water was a little green due to algae, which is common this time of year. Over the course of the day, there were approximately seven manatee that we interacted with in some fashion. Two of them were young calves. Every respect was given to not interfere with their lives and to respect their space.

It’s official: Manatee are no longer listed as endangered | March 31, 2017.

The Manatee population is moving in the right direction. Vigilance is needed to ensure this amazing species continues to grow and thrive for years to come.

CNN Article Excerpt:

Florida’s growing manatee population is a “dramatic turnaround” from the 1970s, the federal government said as it officially removed the aquatic creatures from the endangered list. The West Indian manatee will now be considered threatened — a marker of progress in the species’ recovery.

Environmental and animal groups decried Thursday’s announcement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, saying it is premature and comes without a firm long-term recovery plan. Officials have said that the “downlisting” does not change federal and state protections for the animals, which were put on the endangered list in March 1967.

They say the move shows various partners have worked to increase the population numbers and protect habitat. “While there is still more work to be done to fully recover manatee populations, particularly in the Caribbean, manatee numbers are increasing and we are actively working with partners to address threats,” Jim Kurth, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s acting director, said in a statement.