The Sunshine State’s manatee population, which is still recuperating from a mass starvation incident a few years ago, is seeking warmer waters as a result of Florida’s coastal temperatures lowering due to a polar vortex that has pelted much of the U.S. with ice and snow.
In addition to inland natural springs, the warm-water discharges of over a dozen power plants in the Florida area are a common destination for the placid aquatic creatures.
Due to an aquatic migration pattern that mother manatees have taught their young, manatees have been drawn to the warm-water discharges for decades. There are public observation spots close to power facilities in Apollo Beach, Fort Myers, and Riviera Beach.
For the past week, dozens of the sea cows—which can weigh up to 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms) and reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters)—have been gathering close to Florida Power & Light business’s Riviera Beach plant, where the business first opened the Manatee Lagoon attraction in 2016.
The public can enter the two-story, 16,000-square-foot structure for free. On February 1, they will have a family-friendly ManateeFest.
“Manatees are such a special species that we have in our waters here in Florida, because they are a sentinel species, which means that they’re an indicator for any water problems that we may have or any environmental issues we may have,” Manatee Lagoon education manager Rachel Shanker stated. “They’re kind of the first animals to start to respond to any changes in the environment. And because they’re so charismatic, people really take note of that.”
Although the facility is open throughout the year, the ideal time to see the animals is between November 15 and March 31, when the water temperature in Florida can drop below 68 degrees, which is dangerous for manatees since it can kill them.
Although collisions with boats are the most common cause of harm to manatees, the most common natural cause of harm is the stress caused by chilly temperatures.
“So during the power generation process, that power plant puts out clean, warm water, and that warm water draws the manatees in when it gets cold,” Shanker stated.
According to Shanker, no chemicals or other materials are added to the ocean water that is drawn in from the bay and utilized to chill the facility. The plant releases warm water that is entirely safe for wildlife and is identical to ocean water, only warmer.
Shanker stated on Friday that the highest number of manatees they have counted this year is approximately 85, though the number can vary around the power plant.
“The manatees come here to Manatee Lagoon for that warm water, but we don’t have a large population of seagrass right here on our property,” Shanker stated. “And so they’ll come here to Manatee Lagoon to get warm, then when they start to get hungry, they will travel out to find those seagrass beds, and they’ll go feed until they get full, and they get cold, and they’ll come back to our warm water to get warm.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that 565 manatee deaths occurred in 2024, which is comparable to the 555 deaths that occurred the previous year.
Compared to 2021, when officials reported over 1,100 manatee deaths, primarily from malnutrition, those figures represent a dramatic decrease.
The seagrass that the animals rely on has been severely damaged by pollution from urban, agricultural, and other sources.
South Carolina Bill Mandates Cameras in Public School Classrooms for Safety and Accountability
“The center of those problems was in the Indian River Lagoon, where over the years, they’ve had these problems with all these algal blooms,” FWC manatee veterinarian Martine de Wit stated. “And that affected the water clarity and quality, and seagrass had died off in that area.”
Central Florida’s Indian River Lagoon is situated on the Atlantic coast. At least one-third of the Florida than 8,000 manatees that call state waters home migrate or live through Indian River Lagoon.
In an attempt to lessen the number of deaths, state wildlife officials temporarily fed manatees lettuce. Manatee deaths have decreased, and seagrass in the area has started to regenerate after two particularly disastrous winters.
Records reveal an increase in deceased calves for this past year, despite a decrease in overall mortality over the previous two years.
According to de Wit, several manatees were so undernourished by the seagrass famine that they were physically incapable of reproducing for a number of years. Those famished animals all started breeding simultaneously as the food came back.
Public Health Concern: Respiratory Illness Cases Surge in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
Several environmental organizations from Florida attempted to reinstate the manatees on the endangered species list, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied their request on Monday. The manatee will continue to be classified as vulnerable after being demoted from endangered in 2017.
The manatee population in Florida is increasing, but citizens and officials must continue to take precautions to protect the endangered species, according to de Wit.
