Rating:
* * * * *
Type: Aquatic habitat
Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Kelly says: For everyone in the family
You don’t expect a natural history exhibit to pack an emotional wallop, but this one sure does — and does it very deftly. It is unlikely that anyone in your family will emerge from this experience unaffected.
The manatee is a large, slow-moving marine mammal that favors the shallow brackish waterways along the Florida coast, the very same areas that have become a recreational paradise for boaters and fishermen. As man’s presence in their habitat has increased, the manatees’ numbers have dwindled. A sign in the entrance to this exhibit informs us that there are only about 2,000 manatees left in Florida and that about 10% of this number die each year. Far fewer are born. It doesn’t take a mathematical genius to figure out that at this rate the manatee will be extinct (in the wild, at least) in the very near future.
The message takes on an additional poignancy when we realize that all of the small manatees in the exhibit are orphans and that some of the larger animals have been grievously wounded by their encounters with civilization. One has lost most of its tail, another a front flipper. One of the themes of this exhibit is SeaWorld’s ongoing rescue efforts of manatees and other marine mammals. On video, we see a seriously wounded adult nursed back to health and released back into the wild. The news that at least one released manatee has reproduced in the wild cheers us like a major victory.
After viewing the manatees from above — in a pool that re-creates a coastal wetland, with egrets and ibises looking on — we walk down a spiraling walkway into an underground circular theater for a short and highly effective film containing a plea for conservation and protection of the manatee. From there, we pass into the underwater viewing area where the majesty and fragility of this odd beast become even more apparent. Their slow, graceful movements and their rather goofy faces make the manatee instantly appealing. The aquatic setting is lovely too, shared as it is by a variety of native fish. There are glistening tarpon here and a variety of gar, including one large specimen of the alligator gar, a black beast that hovers just under the surface, the reasons for its name instantly apparent. In an interesting bit of verisimilitude, the pool contains tilapia, a fish that is not a native but imported from Africa. It competes with and threatens some native species.
Interactive touch-screen video monitors provide a self-guided wealth of additional information about manatees and the problems they face from habitat destruction and pollution. Staffers from SeaWorld’s education department stroll the viewing area on a somewhat irregular schedule. If any are there when you visit, they will be more than happy to answer your questions.
I found this a profoundly moving experience and one to which I returned eagerly. As you leave, you can pick up more information about how to be a responsible boater, diver, and snorkeler in manatee areas. You will also be challenged to make a personal commitment to help the manatee. What will you do?
Photo Op: As you leave the exhibit, look for the sculpture of the manatee cow and her calf floating artfully above the pavement. It makes an excellent backdrop for a family photograph.
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