Cold weather means "sea cows" try to stay warm, too
Jan 12, 2011 11:25 AM EST
With the Gulf of Mexico temperatures running in the low 60s, a quiet migration is in progress. Florida's manatees make their swim toward warmer waters in south Florida.
From roughly November through March, manatees cluster around warm-water sources, such as shallow bays, estuaries, springs and even warm-water discharges from power plants like the Tampa Electric Company and Florida Power & Light (FP&L) plants in Riviera Beach & right here in Fort Myers!
You don't have to travel far at all to see our beloved "sea cows" in the wild.
Winter is the best time to see manatees, because they can't tolerate water temperatures below 68 degrees for long periods.
That's why they congregate in large groups in shallow coastal waters, usually no more than three to seven feet deep.
Unfortunately, these are the same areas that boaters use, so you need to proceed with extra caution as you're boating during this cold weather.
Watercraft-related injuries are one of the biggest causes of manatee mortality.
If out on Southwest Florida waterways, remember to be on the lookout for manatees, obey speed laws and most importantly, observe no-wake zone restrictions.
Fewer than 3,000 of these magnificent animals exist in the wild.
By Meteorologist John Patrick
0 comments:
Post a Comment