If you ever get the chance, go and see these wonderful creatures. I was lucky enough to see the Manatee on a family holiday to Florida a couple of years ago and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. It’s very sad thought to hear that so many are injured and killed by being hit by boats.
This clip is from the wonderful Seven Worlds One Planet, probably the most advanced and spectacular nature programme ever made by the BBC.
This in the sixth programme which is looking at North America which has just been aired on BBC last Sunday 1st December. Don’t worry though all the episodes are going to be available for at least a year, so you’ve got plenty of time to watch them online.
More than any other continent, North America is defined by extreme weather and seasonal change. For animals that live here this poses great challenges, but for those with a pioneering spirit it can also offer great rewards.
In Canada’s Yukon, winter can be brutal – up to six feet of snow can fall in a single day. But lynx have found a way to survive where others cannot, pushing farther north than any other cat species on earth. To catch a meal, they must outsmart quicker and more nimble prey, the aptly named snowshoe hair.
With no east-west mountain range crossing North America, Arctic air can flow unimpeded as far south as the southern swamps, locking alligators into a blanket of ice and forcing manatees to flee in search of warmer water.
I think it’s probably my favorite episode yet, but it’s difficult to choose one from this series. If you want to watch it online from outside the UK then just have a look online for a decent VPN service. There’s plenty that still work with the BBC, I’ve been using one to watch the BBC News live every weekday night for many years.