Feed Orphaned Manatees At This Rescue Center In Peru

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Want to give back to nature while visiting Peru? Look no further than the Amazon Rescue Center in the Amazon Rainforest, where staff members rescue orphaned manatees and visitors can help feed them.

A post shared by Sandra MG (@sandramendietag) on Aug 10, 2015 at 4:18pm PDT

Everyone knows the Amazon Rainforest is in trouble, but few know that manatees are also on the vulnerable species list (created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature). The adorable roly-poly creatures have been hunted to dangerous points, often leaving manatee orphans without grown-up manatee parents to teach them the ways of the watery jungle.

So the Amazon Rescue Center (or Centro de Rescate Amazónico) adopts the orphan babies. And you can visit those babies! The center is just outside of Iquitos, Peru. Visitors get a tour of the facilities, walk through the entire rescue process and may even get to feed a manatee by hand.

It’s only $6 to get in, so get ready for lots of manatee one-on-one time. Your turn feeding the mammals gets them nice and healthy for their chance to return to the wild. How can you not adore these giant floppy balls of blubber and whiskers and love?

A post shared by Krista (@83dayslater) on Jun 28, 2016 at 10:23am PDT