Have you ever seen a manatee in the wild? Here's your chance to take a closer look at manatees by watching some underwater footage filmed by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey Sirenia Project and see our public service announcements

You'll need a media player to watch these videos, but you can download a free one by going to one of the links at the bottom of the page.

Underwater Manatee Footage-1
(MPEG format, 2 minutes)

See a female manatee and calf and follow them as they join other manatees at a warm water aggregation (gathering) site at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, FL. Notice how the calf nurses from behind the mother's flipper. And watch for a great "synchronized swimming" moment when the mom and calf surface to breathe in unison.

Underwater Manatee Footage-2
(MPEG format, 2 minutes)

Get an up close and personal view of manatees at the Blue Spring State Park aggregation site. See how they use their flippers to maneuver and watch for a great closeup shot that shows the manatee's sparse hair -- one of the characteristics that distinguishes them as mammals.

Underwater Manatee Footage-3
(MPEG format, 2 minutes)

In this section, the mom and calf join us again. How do we know it's them? Because the mother has a scar on her right side. Manatee researchers use these scars to identify individual animals. Also, watch how the manatees use their paddle-shaped tails to swim.

Jimmy Buffett Public Service Announcement
(MPEG format, 30 seconds)

John Lithgow Public Service Announcement
(MPEG format, 30 seconds)

Hoot Public Service Announcement
with Carl Hiaasen and Wil Shriner
(Windows Media Video format, 30 seconds)