Group Hug: SMC Volunteer Mariela Care from Tavernier, Florida, took these photos of three manatees from her dock. Manatees can be quite playful, so they may have been cavorting, or Care may have observed a mating herd. (Photos courtesty of Mariela Care)

Mom and Junior: Deborah Thompson sent photos of a manatee mom and calf taken at Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda, Florida. Mothers nurse their young for one to two years, so a calf may remain dependent on its mother during that time. (Photos courtesy of Deborah Thompson)