CREATURES OF THE (NOT SO) DEEP

 

From the wetlands near where our RV is parked at Fern Ridge Shores come these creatures seen the first week after we arrived earlier this month:

 

 

 It's actually only one creature from several angles.  The River Otter (or maybe we should call it a Lake Otter here) was swimming back and forth, front and back, until he finally settled on the perfect green shoot to chew on for breakfast:

 

 

From the National Wildlife Organization website:  River Otters are playful semi-aquatic mammals  … They can thrive in any water habitat, such as ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers, estuaries and marshes—in cold, warm or even high elevation areas—as long as the habitat provides adequate food ….  An adult is around three and a half feet long and weighs between 11 and 30 pounds.  They eat fish, aquatic vegetation, and even small water creatures.

 

Below are some different waters.  And a definitely different aquatic mammal. (From the end of June — the last week we were in Florida.):

 

 The water at the end of our Canal was at low tide and fairly shallow one morning .  It was mesmerizing to watch the colors swirl around but  I wondered what was stirring things up.    And then …

 

 

… I spotted a nose just edging out of the water.   I actually counted three manatees  that morning.   Manatees like warm water and they come into the river in the winter because it is warmer than out in the Gulf.  But usually by  May, they have gone out into the Gulf.  We don't know why this year was different since we saw them all the way through June.

 Sometimes all you see is bubbles — these guys can stay under water for ages.

 

Manatees (Sea Cows) are related to the elephant.  They are ten to twelve feet long and weigh 1500 to 1800 pounds.  They are herbivores whose diet consists of sea grass and aquatic vegetation.  There are several good websites dedicated to this oddly fascinating creature.   Here is one good place.

 

 

This post will be linked to:   SATURDAY CRITTERS  (thank you to Eileen);  to OUR WORLD on TUESDAY (thank you to Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy, Arija, Gattina, and Jennifer);    to  NATURE NOTES (thanks to Michelle);  to MOSAIC MONDAY (thank you Judith);  and to WEDNESDAY WATERS (thank you to Gemma).