Four awesome photos of manatees by Tony Rath
First photo:
There are places in Belize where wildlife are not afraid of humans. This fellow let me tag along while he fed on sea grass and surfaced for air numerous times. Such a gentle, and yes beautiful creature.
Second photo is a manatee lit by sun rays while cruising over the coral reef.
Third photo: Manatee are grazers, feeding on the vast sea grass beds off our coast. This fellow did not seem to mind me as it kept grinding away while I photographed. I could hear the crunching of thalassia blades long before I saw it. In wildlife photography it is important to insure that the animals behavior is not impacted by the interlopers presence. At the first sign of disturbance, best to retire and try another day.
Photographs by Tony Rath
Did you know that manatee mothers nurse their young for a long period of time? The calf often remains dependent on the mother for up to three years.
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