The video, filmed by Bartolomeo Bove on November 27, shows magical close encounter with manatees in the clear waters of Crystal River, Florida, where hundreds of these placid creatures migrate each winter to seek refuge from the cold Gulf water.

The Florida manatee is a threatened species that roams the seas during the warm months of the year in an area ranging from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, up to the coasts of New Jersey.

During the winter months, hundreds of individuals of this species congregate in the waters of the bay of Crystal River, Kings Bay, and into its rivers, which have a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, seeking warm waters.

Crystal River is considered a sanctuary for this threatened species which is protected by state and federal laws.

Here is a video that Bartolomeo Bove filmed on November 27, 2019 while swimming with manatees in the crystal clear waters of Crystal River, Florida, where hundreds of these placid creatures migrate each winter to seek refuge from the cold Gulf waters. The Florida manatee is a threatened species that roams the seas during the warm months of the year in an area ranging from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, up to the coasts of New Jersey. During the winter months, hundreds of individuals of this species congregate in the waters of the bay of Crystal River, Kings Bay, and into its rivers which have a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round seeking warm waters. Crystal River is essentially a sanctuary for this threatened species which is protected by state and federal laws.