Manatees are such strange and wonderful creatures. Weighing in at around 1,000 lbs, they can eat over 100 lbs of seagrass per day. Believe it or not, their closest living relative is the elephant! One time in Florida’s Crystal River Springs, our co-founder PaulNicklen had an… interesting encounter with an overly-friendly manatee. While it’s unlawful to pet or touch a manatee, once in a while, they may feel the need to pet you. Paul was photographing a full-on manatee lovefest when one of them decided Paul was fair game. He raced over, grabbed Paul, and dragged him to the bottom of the springs in an act of amorous affection. Paul never would have guessed a manatee would want to mate with him, but life is full of surprises. Paul couldn’t stop laughing as he released essential air from his lungs. Paul told the manatee “no,” wriggled himself free, and left them to their intraspecies affairs. Photos by PaulNicklen #Manatee #Florida #Photography #Explore