As Florida experiences cold snaps, manatees migrate to warmer areas to avoid 'cold stress'

One of the threats to manatees is cold stress. Manatees need warmth to survive. They’re vulnerable when the water temperature drops below 68 degrees, between November to March. Their round appearance is not from fat but because they have large digestive tracts to process the vegetation they eat. Martine de Wit, wildlife veterinarian with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Research Institute, says, "The difference is not so much in the amount of fat, but more the type of fat. Manatees’ fat does not insulate them."

What does cold stress look like?

Cold stress is usually observed in smaller manatees during the winter season. Manatees with cold stress typically have bleaching on their skin, visible abscesses, unresolved sores and a heavy barnacle or algae load, and they are underweight. Manatees with these symptoms that are found away from warm-water sources are of the most concern.

Where do manatee go to stay warm?

Before winter hits, around mid-November, manatees seek warm-water habitats, such as natural springs and the outfalls from power plant discharge canals.Manatees conserve energy during cold weather by resting at the bottom of springs, in the water column or at the surface. Even while resting, manatees must come to the surface to breathe air. If cold weather continues, they may remain in the warm springs or power plant sites for days or even weeks without leaving. During this time, manatees do not eat seagrass and may lose dozens or even hundreds of pounds.

How many manatees in Florida have died from cold stress?

What is a manatee?

Manatees are slow-moving, seagrass-eating marine mammals. Florida manatees spend up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrasses and other marine or freshwater vegetation, consuming up to 10% of their body weight in aquatic vegetation a day. They rest two to 12 hours a day either suspended near the water's surface or lying on the bottom in shallow areas, usually for several hours at a time. When active, manatees must surface every three to five minutes to breathe but they can hold their breath for as long as 20 minutes when resting.

Florida is at the northern end of the West Indian manatee's winter range and these warm-water habitats play an important role in their survival during the winter months.

Florida manatees can be found west through coastal Louisiana and gather together in warm waters during winter months. During the rest of the year, they travel around Florida’s waterways in search of food, mates or places to rest.

Watching the manatees online

As temperatures drop in Central Florida, the number of manatees seeking refuge at place like Blue Spring State Park is expected to increase, possibly reaching record numbers. The public can watch the manatees online through the Save the Manatee Club’s above- and underwater webcams, available 24/7 at ManaTV.org. The live streams are active during daylight hours, and highlights can be viewed outside these times.

How can you I help?

If you see a manatee that appears to be suffering from cold stress, you should call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922. People should never push a stranded manatee back into the water. Do not touch or feed manatees; that can change their behavior and put them in harm’s way.

SOURCES Save the Manatee Club, NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Southwest Florida Water Management District