From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters, communities take root in the land and in water. We live, work, laugh and grow alongside our human and animal neighbors alike. We may not know their names or always see them, but we recognize their songs, their tracks and, when they’re gone, their absence.
When you conjure images of Florida, you may picture the sun shining down or race cars speeding around the Daytona 500 track. You may marvel at the U.S. space exploration program at Cape Canaveral or get excited about the copious theme parks around Orlando. You may even think of the incredibly diverse habitats including longleaf pines, white sandy beaches and Cypress swamps.
Florida is a vacation destination for people from all over the world. The warmth that draws people to the Sunshine State also draws a special aquatic animal, which is sometimes mistaken for the mythical mermaid.
Meet Florida’s State Marine Mammal: The Florida Manatee
Floridians and tourists won’t need a pair of binoculars to glimpse the rotund, wrinkled gray manatee floating under peninsular Florida’s warm waters during the winter. There are three living species of manatee, the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) and the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus). The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.
Although these animals look plump, manatees have very little body fat. Instead, their rotundness is due to their large digestive tract, which is necessary due to their slow metabolism and aquatic-plant-based diet. Their body fat percentage is like that of an elite human athlete at only 2% to 10%.
Where can Florida manatees be found?
Florida manatees are considered endemic to the southeastern United States. They seasonally move in and out of warm waters because they cannot survive in water temperatures below 68°F (20°C).
During the summer, they may be found in the coastal waters of Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. There have also been sightings as far north as Massachusetts and west as Texas. But during the winter they are primarily confined to peninsular Florida where they live in freshwater springs or around power plants with water that hold year-round temperatures near 72°F.
Florida: A Balmy Haven
What’s the draw, for the threatened Florida manatee, to Florida? Manatees are built for the tropics and subtropics, making the Sunshine State a prime location for them!
In addition to their need for the heat, manatees mostly eat seagrasses and freshwater vegetation. Florida’s spring-fed rivers allow manatees to navigate between warm, freshwater springs and shallow seagrass beds. Some springs systems even double as a warm home and restaurant with abundant supplies of freshwater grasses.
Unfortunately, many of the state’s natural springs have been altered, degraded or even lost completely. Agricultural conversion and groundwater pumping for development have dried many springs out while others were drowned under reservoirs, polluted by run-off or blocked by dams.
Outside of the remaining critical freshwater springs, much of Florida’s waters aren’t warm enough to sustain manatees all winter long in most parts of the state. Many Florida manatees now rely on coastal power plants which produce artificial sources of warm water. Power plants, however, are expected to switch from natural gas to solar, leaving fewer waters available to host manatees. Without these power plants, there will not be enough reliable, accessible spring water to the manatees to stay warm through future winters.
A Shared Home in Need of Protecting
Losing their warm-water habitat is only one threat to Florida manatees. Other threats include pollution-fueled loss of seagrasses, collisions with boats, gear entanglement, entrapment in water control structures, habitat loss and sometimes human harassment. The good news is Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State can help!
Residents should minimize fertilizer and pesticide use on their lawns, which contribute to changing water chemistry. Rain can wash excess chemicals into rivers or other water bodies which drain into the aquifer and ocean. Consider native plants that are well adapted to Florida’s climate and therefore do not need as much fertilizer and irrigation. Using less is best!
Everyone enjoying Florida’s waterways should practice smart boating. Please avoid navigating through shallow grass beds. Obey boating speed limits and no-wake zones. And always watch out for manatees! Polarized sunglasses can help cut the surface glare and make it easier to see these mammals under the water.
Despite these animals’ gentle nature – they show little to no aggression toward each other or people – please give them their space! It is illegal to feed, provide water to or harass manatees by interacting with or touching them. If you happen to come across an orphaned, injured or dead manatee, or witness someone harassing one, please report the incident to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert number: 1-888-404-3922.
Florida displays pride for its state marine mammal throughout the year. November is Manatee Awareness Month. Every January there are Florida Manatee Festivals in Crystal River and in Orange City, Florida. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, guided manatee tours and viewing, and shop manatee-themed merch. Additional festivities are held in March around Manatee Appreciation Day, which occurs on the last Wednesday of March every year.
Take Pride in Your Manatee Neighbors
Imagine Florida’s sun-warmed beaches and waters without the people and wildlife thriving in them. What would the Sunshine State look like without its human and animal warm-weather loving residents? Chilled.
The next time you take pride in being a Floridian, take pride in the wild, real mermaid-like creatures who share this home with you. Minimize pollution in run-off when caring for your yard. Mind boating rules and manatee observation signage. And then, when you think you know it all about your fellow Floridian manatees, challenge yourself to learn about the other wildlife sharing our beautiful home.
What's your favorite Florida wildlife? Have an incredible manatee story? Share with us in the comments! Thank you for joining us for this series. In case you missed it, check out our first local from Texas!
Author
Katherine Sayler
