Florida manatees crowd out humans

The warm waters of Three Sisters Springs, part of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, allow manatees to live safely during the winter months, when the open waters can get dangerously cold for the gentle mammals.

About 80 miles north of Tampa, it’s also a popular place for visitors to see and swim with the manatees.

“Every time we’ve tried to help both the people and the seals, it hasn’t worked out,” Coastal Commissioner Dayna Bochco told the Los Angeles Times. “If more people would act reasonably, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Though swimmers and snorkelers protested the move, many day trippers have preferred to admire the animals from afar. The seals’ tendency to defecate where they live can make the waters unsanitary for human swimming.

CNN