Manatee Viewing Center Opens: Apollo Beach, FL

See the Manatees at the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center!

The viewing center, along the warm water discharge canal at Tampa Electric's Big Bend Power Station, is open each year from Nov. 1 to April 15. It features a wooden boardwalk over the water, garden and habitat displays, a snack bar and decks to view the manatees.

The animals are attracted to the plant's warm water when temperatures in the bay fall below 68 degrees. On a cold day, dozens of manatees gather right off the observation decks, their snouts sticking up out of the crystal clear water.

It is reported by TECO employees that they have seen as many as 300 manatees in the canal at once. That's approximately 10 percent of the total manatee population in Florida. Manatee Viewing Center Website

The center busy with numerous human visitors as well, and can be crowded on weekends. A Tampa Electric spokesperson says that more than 2.7-million people have visited the center since it opened its doors in 1986.

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The center is located at 6990 Dickman Road, next to the power plant at the West end of Big Bend Road. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

No pets, please, but service dogs are permitted. As always, admission and parking are free.

Any donations you choose to make to the center are greatly appreciated and go directly toward the purchase and maintenance of educational exhibits and publications that can help teach more visitors about the manatee and the many animals and plants that share its habitat.

Dave Tipton, Broker- Diamond Dwellings Realty

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