A Serene Encounter with a Manatee

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 3, the writer Sam Anderson travels to Florida to fulfill a lifelong dream: to swim with manatees.

For photos and videos of Sam's adventure with manatees, visit nytimes.com/animal.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.