They are as synonymous with Florida as flamingo’s Manatees or as they are sometimes called, sea cows, love the tropical weather and warm waters of Florida. Powell shares his knowledge of these gentle giants and tells us how the pandemic has likely had an adverse affect on them. By some estimates there are about 13,000 manatees on the planet with about half of those living in the southeastern U.S. While boating is good for those who are feeling cabin fever during the pandemic, it has not been good for manatees. “We had seen it in Blue Spring, we had actually seen it up in north Florida and I think even Georgia,” Powell said.