Today I fed a Manatee and wept....

[MarthasGinYard]

I visited a sanctuary for these amazing creatures.

Incredibly moving

And when you feed them they actually hold tightly onto your leg for support.

It was an amazing experience

I cried

Anyone else get totally emotional experiencing stuff like this.?

Yes definitely would do. Manatees are my absolute favourite creatures! They are so beautiful and gentle. I have loved them since I was a child so if it fed one I would definitely cry!

I had a moment watching an octupus change colour to camouflage into a rock. It was incredible to see and the ocean is amazing.

A manatee is related to the elephant

Unbelievable

What lovely stories

A lovely corner of MN weepers

I'm so jealous, I love manatees. Have you got a picture of a manatee to make me smile?

I get quite emotional about a family of Egyptian geese I see on my way to work. I've called Mum and Dad Brenda and Eddie and I've watched the babies grow from tiny little fluffy things to teenage geese. I'm a bit worried as there were six babies but I counted five yesterday and didn't see them at all today.

I swam with a wild one in the Caribbean. It actively chooses human company and swims in, rolls on its back for tummy tickles and then goes off again once it's had enough.

One of the highlights of my life.

Can you explain which bit of them holds on? And what it feels like?
Just so I can imagine it.

@ohmygoodness101 and anyone else that is curious on how to see these beautiful manatees in their natural environment

Crystal River, Florida
November to March - best time is December through end of January

They do tours, snorkeling etc or you can hire your own gear and go on your own. You will need a wetsuit. You can use your own or rent one from a dive shop/tour operator.

They are the most beautiful and gentlest animals I have ever had the chance to interact with. I was fortunate enough to go earlier this year and will be going back again (this time taking the family) next winter.

They have a pair of front fin like arms.

Literally held out a huge piece of cabbage and he just wrapped his rough and whiskery fins around my thigh and munched away. They felt rough to touch and strong but gentle. It was amazing.

He had a good hefty thigh to hold onto though

Dd is a slight thing so he kind of gently but firmly encased her whole around the bottom. It was adorable.

I'm a bit rubbish with tech but will attempt to download photos later when WiFi a little stronger.

Hope Brenda and Eddies 6th appears back tomorrow. I'd be concerned too.

Whereabouts did you do this OP? I love manatees! And I love the gentle way they just are. And they eat cabbages!

Baby moon pie you need to go to blue springs national park in January
Maybe even February
Leave it too late and they go back up the St. John river
Seen loads there...70 odd was the most
Oh you’re making me cry...I want to go back

You lucky thing! Was once lucky enough to have a binturong climb all over me (you will probably have to look it up, but its a big hairy arboreal cat/badger like thing that smells - I kid you not - of buttered popcorn.

I wept at the walruses on the new David Attenborough series -moving but in a totally different way.

@Calzone was that monte baldo on lake garda?

God, they actually hug you back! That’s amazing

I've swum with the Manatees at Crystal River, they were wonderful and yes, I cried

I get it OP. What a wonderful experience. There is definitely something about them.

I cry at everything, it used to irritate me so much when my mother did it when I was younger but I think I'm probably worse.
Whenever I see children's choirs, when people dance in musicals, anyone overcoming any fear. I once saw the deaf school choir signing to Katie Perry's 'firework' and was a mess.

Not sure I'd want a manatee holding tightly to my leg mind.

@churchthecat yes it was. Flipping amazing place.

Have you been?

I went to Monterey in California and the seal lions and sea otters there made me cry.

@Calzone I have, I've also walked the alpaca! Love them.

Did you have the grappa espresso from the cafe up there?

OP, OP, OP... Did you cry "oh the huge mannatee!"?

Sorry.

Liz

I am excited just st the thought of your photos so it all sounds reasonable here