New voter surge in early voting could sway battleground states in 2024 US presidential election    Civil Defense urges caution amid forecast of heavy rain to hit most Saudi regions until Monday    What's in it for FinTech startups in events like Biban24    Al Nassr and Al Hilal share points in intense Riyadh Derby draw    ImpaQ: Riyadh to host first Impact Makers Forum in December    Saudi Arabia ranks 12th globally in international visitor spending in 2023    SFDA chief discusses investment opportunities in food and pharmaceutical sectors with Chinese companies    Riyadh's Sports Boulevard receives Platinum ActiveScore certifications    Saudi Arabia refutes claims of rising worker fatalities, highlighting low work-related death rates    US says around 8,000 troops from North Korea are stationed in Russia's Kursk region    Spain mourns as death toll passes 150 in catastrophic floods    Seven killed in Israel in deadliest Hezbollah rocket strikes in months    Cyclists on phones face jail under Japan's new traffic laws    Hidden sugars in Asia's baby food spark concerns    Saleh Al Shehri strike seals Al Ittihad's Sea Derby win over Al Ahli    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    Derby Week makes its debut in the Roshn Saudi League    Al Nassr eliminated from King's Cup after a defeat to Al Taawoun    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    Indonesia Days event celebrates cultural diversity at Al Suwaidi Park    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Florida chill: Manatees huddle, turtles stunned
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 08 - 01 - 2010

More than 200 manatees are wintering in a balmy canal outside a power plant, the latest exotic Florida animals seeking refuge from the state"s frigid temperatures, according to AP.
Giant eagle rays and spinner sharks joined them in the 70-degree Fahrenheit (21 Celsius) waters Thursday as onlookers watched them frolic.
«This is a spa for them,» said Wendy Anastasiou, an environmental specialist for the Tampa Electric Company.
With temperatures well below normal, some less resourceful animals needed help from humans to survive.
Along Florida"s Atlantic Coast, 93 sea turtles were found floating a lagoon and experts said the cold water shocked their tropically inclined systems. Most were endangered green sea turtles who were sent to research facilities for care.
«We try to collect them and get them to a warm location so we can check them out,» said Roger Pszonowsky, a volunteer with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society in Brevard County, Florida.
Freshwater turtles can go into mud and hibernate, he said, but sea turtles don"t have the same advantage and that"s why they suffer from «cold stunning.»
Animals that live in the water weren"t the only ones affected. Iguanas fell out of trees in South Florida because the cold-blooded reptiles become immobilized and lose their grip when the temperature falls into the 40s or below (below 5 to 10 Celsius).
Things are less dire for the manatees, which are not in immediate danger. On Thursday, the gentle giants at the Big Bend Power Plant in Apollo Beach _ some weighing 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) _ floated slowly to the water"s surface to sip air. Every so often, one would surface on its belly, making the crowd on a viewing platform ooh and ahhh.
Anastasiou said it"s typical for the giant, vegetarian mammals to seek warmer water in the winter when the temperature of Tampa Bay dips below 68 degrees (20 Celsius). Even when it is chilly, the sea cows swim out to the Gulf of Mexico to graze on grass during the day. During cold spells, the animals congregate in massive numbers, which is impressive for the humans who flock to the viewing centers to gawk.


Clic here to read the story from its source.