A polar vortex that has affected a large part of the United States with ice and snow has dealt a mild blow to Florida, lowering coastal temperatures and causing the manatee population of the Sunshine State to seek refuge in warmer waters.
In addition to the natural springs inland, a popular destination for the docile aquatic mammals are the warm-water outflows from a dozen power plants in Florida.
Manatees have been drawn to the warm-water outflows for decades, following an aquatic route that mother manatees have taught their calves. There are public observation areas near the power plants in Riviera Beach, Fort Myers, and Apollo Beach.
Dozens of these sirenians, which can reach up to 3 meters in length and 544 kilograms in weight, have gathered over the past week near the Riviera Beach plant of Florida Power & Light Company.
The company opened the Manatee Lagoon attraction in 2016, a two-story, 16,000-square-foot complex that is free and open to the public. They are hosting a family-friendly ManateeFest on February 1.
Importance of Manatees as a Sentinel Species
“Manatees are a very special species that we have in our waters here in Florida because they are an indicator of any water problems we may have or environmental issues,” said Rachel Shanker, education manager at Manatee Lagoon. “They are the first animals to start responding to any changes in the environment. And because they are so charismatic, people really pay attention to that.”
The facility is open year-round, but the best opportunity to see the animals is from November 15 to March 31 when water temperatures in Florida can drop below 68 degrees, which can be deadly for manatees.
Although boat collisions are the main human threat to manatees, cold stress is the most common natural threat and drives them to seek refuge in warm waters.
“During the energy generation process, that power plant emits clean and warm water, and that warm water attracts manatees when it’s cold,” explained Shanker. The ocean water is drawn from the bay and used to cool the plant, but no chemicals or other substances are added to the water. The warm water discharged from the plant is the same ocean water, just warmer, and completely safe for wildlife.
The number of manatees near the power plant can fluctuate, but Shanker mentioned that the most they have counted this year is around 85.
Conservation and Protection of Manatees
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in 2024 there were 565 manatee deaths recorded, similar to the 555 deaths recorded the year before. Those numbers have significantly decreased since 2021 when authorities recorded over 1,100 manatee deaths, most caused by starvation. Pollution from agricultural, urban, and other sources has decimated the seagrasses on which the animals depend.
“The center of these problems was in the Indian River Lagoon, where they have had issues with algae blooms that affected the clarity and quality of the water, and the seagrasses died in that area,” said Martine de Wit, a manatee veterinarian with the FWC. State waters are home to over 8,000 manatees, of which at least a third live or migrate through the body of water.
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