Manatees Close-Up Portrait – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Andrea Izzotti
Manatees in Florida have been fighting for their lives for the past few years, but a few days ago, the species provided a piece of more positive news from one state park. A few dozen miles north of Orlando, in Blue Springs State Park, the number of manatees was the highest it had ever been.
On January 21, Blue Spring State Park posted on Facebook, “Record-breaking morning at Blue Spring State Park,” announcing that park authorities had counted 932 manatees in the region, about 200 more than their previous record of 736, which they had set on New Year’s Day of this year.
A picture taken in one part of the park shows scores of manatees snuggled together in the water, as shared by park officials.
As per the Save the Manatee Club, the record number was counted on the “coldest morning of the season yet.” The group reported that the river’s temperature was 58.8 °F.
Due to their sensitivity to cold, manatees can frequently be spotted bundling up in regions where the water is warmer throughout the winter. Blue Spring State Park’s water temperature remains at a “constant” 72 degrees Fahrenheit, making it “one of the largest winter gathering sites” for manatees in the state, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Mammals that are overexposed to cooler water may develop a condition that is similar to “hypothermia, pneumonia, or frostbite in humans and can make them very sick.”
According to Florida State Parks’ website, “manatees depend on the warm water for survival, as they cannot tolerate water temperatures colder than 68 degrees for long periods.” Manatees may appear “fat” or “blubbery,” but their metabolism is extremely slow and they only contain about an inch of fat, which makes it difficult for them to stay warm. Because of their biology, refuges like Blue Spring are essential to their existence.”
Since 2020, the Florida manatee population has been going through an extraordinary mortality event, which is a period when a population of marine mammals is abruptly and unexpectedly going extinct. According to official data, almost 550 manatees perished last year, with illness and watercraft being the main causes of death.
About 20 percent of the fatalities, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, were caused by a “significant red tide bloom” that struck the southwest of the state. Red tide is an algal bloom known as Karenia brevis that produces naturally occurring toxins. When these toxins accumulate to dangerous levels, they can kill dolphins, turtles, birds, and manatees in addition to irritating human skin and respiratory systems.
A neurotoxin that attacks exposed manatees can weaken, paralyze, or even induce seizures, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. According to the EPA, manatees can suffer from facial tremors, weakness, and beaching in addition to frequently finding it difficult to breathe and surface.
Manatees have also had difficulty obtaining sufficient food; according to the state, seagrass and macroalgae supplies have “declined significantly.” The state has been giving the animals extra food in recent years, which they claimed “significantly reduced” the number of manatees going hungry. The state discontinued the supplemental feeding program at the end of 2023, even though the extraordinary mortality event is still ongoing.
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
