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Florida Manatee Orgy Near Tampa Bay Highway Causes World's Most Awkward Traffic Jam
The Drive ^ | 5/13/2019 | JAMES GILBOY

Posted on 05/15/2019 1:22:12 PM PDT by Gamecock

An unusual congregation of mating manatees reportedly caused a traffic jam in Tampa Bay, Florida last Friday.

Approximately a dozen of the creatures were spotted by commuters offshore of Courtney Campbell Causeway, reports Fox 13. The news channel says it received several calls from drivers commuting via the road—many of whom pulled over to watch the spectacle—reporting a possible whale in distress. On arrival, a news helicopter discovered the herd of manatees engaging in a rarely seen reproduction practice known as a "mating ball."

This event, which ABC Action News reports is sighted an average of once every three to five years, is a result of a highly competitive manatee mating ritual, wherein an average of seven males reportedly compete for the attention of a single female. This sometimes results in a group of aggressive males corralling a small number of females into shallow waters, before attempting to mate with them.

Though distasteful, this practice may prevent manatees from slipping back toward extinction, as the size of their wild population is limited. Manatees were classified as endangered for more than 40 years, until their reclassification in 2016 to the less-severe status of "threatened," implying population numbers greater than those of endangered species.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that manatee mating season runs from March through November, meaning more traffic slowdowns could occur in the rare event that another manatee mating ball appears off the coast of Tampa Bay.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: commentbait; floridaman; floridamanatee
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To: Gamecock
"Daddy, that Manatee behavior is so icky".

"Well, Susie, think of it like the mosh pit at a rave. It's really no different, except for the frenzied, unprotec-- oh, wait

41 posted on 05/15/2019 2:00:48 PM PDT by Company Man (IN A TIME OF UNIVERSAL DECEIT, TELLING THE TRUTH IS A REVOLUTIONARY ACT)
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To: Gamecock

Some romantic, manatee mating music...


       "I Wanna Be Your Manatee" - The Beatletees


       "I Wanna Be Your Manatee" - The Rolling Stonatees

42 posted on 05/15/2019 2:01:31 PM PDT by Songcraft
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To: Zhang Fei

You and me, baby, ain’t nothing but mammals.
So, let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel


43 posted on 05/15/2019 2:01:50 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Lurkina.n.Learnin

Well, they ARE fat and ugly.

Certainly not attractive.

Oh, and the manatees are nothing to look at, either.


44 posted on 05/15/2019 2:05:03 PM PDT by Alas Babylon! (The media is after us. Trump's just in the way.)
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To: Gamecock

I guess that answers what Manatees think of Alyssa Milano.


45 posted on 05/15/2019 2:08:59 PM PDT by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
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To: Gamecock

To a “T?”


46 posted on 05/15/2019 2:10:23 PM PDT by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Alas Babylon!

Proof Chelsea has kids by a drive by spermin


47 posted on 05/15/2019 2:17:56 PM PDT by advertising guy (The manliest man Obama knows is married to him.)
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To: Gamecock
Though distasteful


"Nature.  It's [snort] so distasteful."


"Is that a chicken joke?"

48 posted on 05/15/2019 2:18:36 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: SES1066

Cue the response ... “Trump caused Huge Manatee rapes by Global Warming! “ in 4, 3, 2, 1 .....


49 posted on 05/15/2019 2:20:53 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (The democrats' national goal: One world social-communism under one world religion: Atheistic Islam.)
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To: blackdog

No fair! You copied my homework !!!!!


50 posted on 05/15/2019 2:22:18 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (The democrats' national goal: One world social-communism under one world religion: Atheistic Islam.)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

Ouch.


51 posted on 05/15/2019 2:24:07 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (The democrats' national goal: One world social-communism under one world religion: Atheistic Islam.)
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To: Gamecock; Lazamataz

Someone said that tons of chicks were having an orgy at the beach in Florida...


52 posted on 05/15/2019 2:27:55 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: Innovative

their eyes WERE on the road after they whipped out their cellphones and started livestreaming and tagging their friends to watch


53 posted on 05/15/2019 2:29:06 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: SES1066

Do Manatees eat Chili?


54 posted on 05/15/2019 2:36:32 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only a Replacement Wall? Ann Coulter is deeply saddened.)
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To: Gamecock
This is one of Florida's many springs - and yeah in this one you're swimming with Manatees. Very similar to swimming with slow moving Volkswagen's... rent a pontoon boat for almost nothing and the spring is about 10 minutes up river.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ellie-schiller-homosassa-springs-wildlife-state-park

from link:

Welcome to Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Discover the wild-side of Florida with endangered Florida panther, red wolves, manatees and whooping cranes, plus black bears, bobcats, and, of course, alligators.

When Homosassa Springs was a popular train stop in the early 1900s, passengers could picnic and take a dip in the spring while train cars were being loaded up with cedar, crabs, fish and spring water. On a 1924 visit, Bruce Hoover of Chicago called it “The most beautiful river and springs in the world.” In this regard, Homosassa Springs hasn’t changed much.

An astounding number of fresh and saltwater fish still congregate in the natural spring bowl—large jacks, snapper, snook and others. A unique underwater structure, the Underwater Observatory, allows visitors to “walk underwater” beneath the spring’s surface and watch the various fish and manatees swim about.

55 posted on 05/15/2019 2:37:57 PM PDT by GOPJ ("Elites reflexively exempt themselves from the ravages of their own policies." - nathanbedford)
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To: dfwgator

“You and me, baby, ain’t nothing but mammals.
So, let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel”

Surrogate or Gamer?


56 posted on 05/15/2019 2:42:30 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only a Replacement Wall? Ann Coulter is deeply saddened.)
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To: Gamecock

57 posted on 05/15/2019 2:47:47 PM PDT by ThreeYearLurker
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To: Vaquero

If it was in colder water, would it be smaller?

CC


58 posted on 05/15/2019 3:06:41 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV)
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To: Celtic Conservative

59 posted on 05/15/2019 3:08:51 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Scott from the Left Coast

Key Whizz?

CC


60 posted on 05/15/2019 3:10:13 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV)
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