A Florida park just saw a record number of manatees gather together in its waters

Manatees are generally solitary creatures, but tend to gather at warm water sites in the winter. (Florida State Parks)

Legend has it that centuries ago, manatees used to be mistaken for mermaids, so a sight last week at one Florida state park would have put ancient sailors in shock.

Blue Spring State Park is home to one of the largest winter gathering sites for manatees in Florida, and recently, the park reached a new record when the number of manatees spotted in one group was nearly 1,000.