Manatee Lagoon kicks off 2019/2020 manatee season with new exhibit
Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center® is counting down the days to the official start of manatee season, which runs Nov. 15 through March 31. Over the next several months as temperatures begin to drop, hundreds of manatees will frequent the waters surrounding Manatee Lagoon, taking refuge in the warm-water outflows from Florida Power & Light Company’s adjacent Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center. On chilly winter days, Manatee Lagoon’s observation deck is the perfect place to get an up-close glimpse of these gentle giants enjoying their winter home in Lake Worth Lagoon.
New this season, Manatee Lagoon is featuring a brand new exhibit for visitors to learn all about the importance of natural and artificial reefs. The “Reefs Really Matter” exhibit was created in partnership with the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management and the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation, and aims to teach visitors about the health of reefs, benefits of building new artificial reefs and what people can to do help protect these underwater ecosystems. The exhibit is an expansion of the existing interactive exhibits at Manatee Lagoon, designed to educate the public about manatees and environmental conservation.
The new exhibit features a saltwater tank filled with miniature artificial reef structures and a variety of colorful marine creatures, giving visitors an up-close look at what lies beneath the ocean’s surface. Fascinating underwater photography surrounds the tank and visitors have the opportunity to read more about reefs and see a map of where they are located off the shores of Palm Beach County.
Along with this new exhibit, Manatee Lagoon has an action-packed calendar of family-friendly programs to enjoy throughout the upcoming manatee season, including Mindful Moments Yoga for both adults and children, monthly environmental lectures and Manatee Tales story time for kids. To plan your visit to Manatee Lagoon and to view the center’s full calendar of events, go to VisitManateeLagoon.com. We hope to see you this manatee season!
