For many Floridians and visitors from out of town, winter is the best time to be here. The weather is cool and dry, hotels are packed, parades draw huge crowds and local attractions like Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center welcome people from around the world.
But for one variety of area resident, winter can be a death sentence. A reported 166 manatees died from the start of the year through March 2, with the largest single cause of the deaths said to be the cold. That’s a huge number any way you look at it – especially since there are fewer than 7,000 of these gentle creatures in the wild. And it means this year may set a record for manatee deaths.
The clean, warm water discharge from Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station provides manatees with lifesaving protection from the cold, and it has state and federal manatee protection designations as a result. The manatees gather in the canal, sometimes by the hundreds at one time, and this congregation has delighted people of all ages since 1986. But while they bring us great joy to see up close, we all have a responsibility to enable them to thrive. And if there’s only so much any one person can do about the cold, there are other things to keep in mind as ways to help them:
- Don’t touch manatees if you’re swimming and see them in the water too.
- Never litter—always put your trash in trash cans.
- If you like to fish, never leave fish hooks or fishing line behind—it’s against the law. These things can cut and sometimes even kill manatees.
- In boats, keep an eye out for manatee signs: a tail, flipper, back or snout that breaks the surface.
- Boaters should observe all posted signs regarding speed, wake, and paths to steer.
- Motorboats should stay at least 50 feet away from manatees.
- Jet-skiers, water-skiers and anyone else enjoying high-speed water sports should stay clear of any areas manatees are known to frequent.
- Polarized sunglasses can help you spot manatees by reducing the sun’s glare on the water.
- Boats should stick to deep water and avoid beds of sea grass where manatees like to feed.
If you see what appears to be an injured or dead manatee, you can contact the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) – but again, you should never touch a manatee. FWC’s Wildlife Alert Toll-Free Number is 1-888-404-FWCC (1-888-404-3922) (dial *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone).
After an injured manatee is rescued and nursed back to health by our partners in the community – like the Florida Aquarium, FWC, the South Florida Museum, ZooTampa at Lowry Park and others – its caretakers will often release it back into the wild at the Manatee Viewing Center. It’s happened countless times and it’s sure to happen again. We look forward to welcoming the next manatee that arrives on our doorstep by moving van, and through April 15, we welcome you too. Until then, let’s take steps together to ensure that our actions help protect the manatees that share this wonderful part of Florida with us.
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