Centuries back, manatees were often confused for mermaids and might have astonished sailors. Recently, Blue Spring State Park in Florida has set a record with nearly 1,000 manatees gathering.
Record-Breaking Manatee Gathering at Blue Spring State Park
The Facebook post from the Friends of Blue Spring State Park highlighted a remarkable morning, breaking the previous record of manatee gathering at 736 on New Year's Day. This Florida state park serves as a significant winter gathering spot for manatees, with the recent count reaching nearly 1,000 in a single group.
Manatees, usually solitary creatures, are drawn to Blue Spring State Park during the winter months. Over the years, various factors have contributed to the increasing number of manatees converging at this park.
According to a post from the non-profit Save the Manatee Club, the cold morning of January 21, recorded as one of Florida's coldest this winter, played a role. The temperature of the St. Johns River, which Blue Spring sits on, was measured at 58.8 Fahrenheit.
Monica Ross, the director of manatee research and conservation at Clearwater Marine Aquarium's Research Institute, explained that recent weeks in Florida saw more frequent and closely spaced cold fronts. These conditions result in a drop in the ambient water temperature, prompting a higher number of manatees to gather simultaneously.
Manatees, despite their appearance, have only about an inch of fat and slow metabolism, making it challenging for them to stay warm in cold weather. Their survival strategy involves seeking water that is warmer than 68 degrees. Blue Spring, with its constant 72-degree spring water, becomes an essential refuge for manatees during the colder months.
Surging Manatee Numbers in Florida Prompt Winter Gathering Strategies
Manatee numbers in Florida have notably risen over the last quarter-century, estimated between 7,000 to 11,000 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
During winter, manatees face the risk of cold stress syndrome, akin to hypothermia, pneumonia, or frostbite in humans, prompting vigilant monitoring by park staff and other agencies at sites like Blue Spring to provide necessary assistance.
Despite their large size, manatees lack the protective layers of blubber against the cold, losing heat rapidly in chilly conditions. Additionally, their low metabolic rate prevents them from generating sufficient heat quickly to offset environmental losses, making them susceptible to extended exposure to cold water.
The critical survival threshold for manatees is a water temperature of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). Falls below this level lead to cold stress, a condition similar to hypothermia, often proving fatal for these aquatic giants.
To escape the cold, manatees migrate to warmer regions once winter sets in, with warm water springs becoming popular destinations. These underground springs maintain a consistent temperature of around 70 to 72 degrees year-round, offering manatees a reliable warm water refuge during colder months.
More so, large gatherings of Florida manatees occur at natural springs such as those in Crystal River and Homosassa on the west coast, and Blue Spring on the east coast.
While hundreds congregate in Crystal River each winter, these springs lack sufficient food for herbivores, prompting the manatees to venture out in search of plants even on warm days and returning to the springs in the evenings for warmth. Consequently, they leave the springs once water temperatures in rivers and coastal areas rise, only returning during winter.
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