I have completed my latest Zentangle inspired totem animal, the manatee. I posted last week about their symbolism accompanied with the black and white drawing. I have finished adding the color and am satisfied with how the piece turned out overall. More specifically, I am happy with how the algae came out. It makes the drawing pop against the blueish grays of the manatee.

Something else I am happy to share is that manatee numbers are on the rise! It’s always good to hear when animals are regaining their territory and making a come back. In early 2017, the US Fish and Wildlife Services changed the manatees’ status from endangered to threatened. Their population and habitat continue to grow with the efforts of many organizations and  individuals who have been working to make this happen. It is still going to take a lot of work to make sure their numbers keep growing and all acts and protection laws issued are still in place to help this magnificent marine mammal take back the waters!

If you want to learn more and find out how you can help manatees, check out the websites I have listed below. I hope you enjoyed my latest piece. I’ll be posting a new totem animal next Monday. What will the next one be? Come back soon to find out! Thanks for stopping by this week!

Until next time,

“It’s what you do right now that makes a difference.”

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• Defenders of Wildlife – https://defenders.org/florida-manatee/preserving-manatee-habitat

• Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission –  http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/manatee/

• US Fish & Wildlife Service –  https://www.fws.gov/northflorida/Manatee/manatees.htm

• Dolphin Research Center –  https://dolphins.org/manatee_conservation

• World Wide Fund for Nature –  http://www.wwfca.org/en/species_and_places/manatees/

**Ending quote from the movie: Black Hawk Down**