Nearly 1,000 manatees gather to keep warm

American Manatees have a layer of fat about 2.5 cm thick and cannot withstand temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius for long periods of time, so they often huddle together in groups when temperatures are low.

A record number of manatees congregate in the warm waters of Blue Spring State Park, Florida, on January 21. Photo: Blue Spring State Park — A record number of manatees congregate in the warm waters of Blue Spring State Park, Florida, on January 21. Photo: *Blue Spring State Park*

Staff and visitors at Blue Spring State Park in Florida witnessed the largest gathering of manatees ever recorded at the site, the Independent reported on January 31. Specifically, there were about 932 manatees gathered at the park on January 21, 200 more than the previous record of 736 on New Year's Day 2024. "A record morning," park staff shared in a Facebook post.

Experts say manatees gather in such large groups so they can huddle together to stay warm when water temperatures drop. January 21 was the coldest morning of the season, with water temperatures reaching just 14 degrees Celsius, according to the Save the Manatee Club.

During the Florida winter, manatees – freshwater and saltwater creatures that prefer calmer waters – can struggle to stay warm. Huddled together and sharing body heat is essential to their survival.

Manatees don’t move around out of laziness, but to conserve energy. Despite their plump appearance, their layer of fat is only about an inch thick. This, combined with their slow metabolism and warm-blooded bodies, makes them vulnerable to cold snaps like the one that hit Florida recently.

Manatees cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius for long periods of time. Temperatures below 15.5 degrees Celsius can cause conditions similar to hypothermia, pneumonia or frostbite in humans.

On January 21, the temperature in the nearby St. John's River dropped to about 14 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit). As a result, the manatees migrated to the park's tributaries, which have year-round temperatures of about 22 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit). "This is very unusual. I expected a large number, but not this many and this quickly," said Cora Berchem, a manatee researcher at Save the Manatee Club.

The cold weather has severely impacted manatees, but it’s encouraging to see so many finding warmer waters in the park, Berchem said. Blue Spring State Park has become a haven for manatees over the past few decades, with the population growing from 36 in the 1970s to more than 700 today.

Thu Thao (According to Independent )

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