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Wildlife· Salinas· Other Caribbean

Salinas & Jobos Bay Manatees

17° 57.5′ N · 66° 13.3′ W

The seagrass beds and mangroves of Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico's second-largest estuary, shelter the endangered West Indian (Antillean) manatee, along with brown pelicans and hawksbill turtles.

Belize Barrier Reef

Practical

Coordinates from Wikipedia (Jobos Bay). Protected as the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (designated 1981, 2,883 acres, run by DRNA with NOAA); habitat for the endangered brown pelican, peregrine falcon, hawksbill turtle and West Indian manatee (NOAA NERRS). Go dead slow in the bay and channels, watch for the 'footprint' swirls of surfacing manatees, never feed or chase them, and keep props clear of seagrass. Tidal range about 0.6 m (NERRS).

Best for

Gentle wildlife encounters by dinghy or kayak

Nearby