Every year millions of tourists come to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula to enjoy its stunning beaches and lagoons, explore its ancient Mayan ruins, and swim in its famous cenotes – sinkholes.

Below the water lies another world: of hidden caverns, lagoons and underground rivers that connect the ocean with bodies of water inland. This is the world the manatees know.

For these gentle aquatic mammals, this network of waterways is home. But their fragile habitat – and their whole existence – is under threat.

In this short film, explorer Klaus Thymann investigates a newly discovered manatee habitat to understand why these captivating creatures are in danger, and how we can ensure a safe future for them.