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Experts are warning that an extraordinary amount of around 1,000 manatees have congregated in Florida’s Blue Spring State Park due to a highly uncommon mass death event.
Manatees are typically known to flock to the State Park during winter months, but park authorities say several factors are causing their numbers to increase in recent years.
In the initial three weeks of the current year, 30 manatees have passed away, as reported by the manatee mortality page of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Four fatalities have been classified as “watercraft strikes” resulting from collisions with boats, a concerning trend as there are typically fewer boaters during the winter season.
Last week, the officials of Blue Spring State Park posted on Facebook that it was a morning of record-breaking numbers, with a total of 932 manatees observed in the park.
This number is 200 higher than the previous record of 736 manatees observed on January 1, 2024.
The 2024 Manatee Festival starts this weekend.
The Save the Manatee Club reported that a record-breaking number of manatees were spotted congregating in the park on the coldest morning of the season so far, with the river temperature reaching 58.8F.
In 2021, the death of over 1,000 manatees was initially documented as a die-off event.
This year has been the most fatal on record for the gentle mammals, as they have been unable to access enough seagrass to sustain themselves and are succumbing to starvation.
Last year, more than 500 manatees passed away. Out of these, 86 were the result of boat crashes and approximately 20% were caused by an algal bloom.
The algal bloom known as “red-tide” is capable of producing harmful toxins that, in high concentrations, can be fatal to dolphins, turtles, birds, and manatees.
Researchers have reported that manatees that are exposed may have difficulty surfacing and inhaling, resulting in paralysis or death.
Manatees are not equipped to handle prolonged exposure to water temperatures below 68 degrees, which can result in a condition resembling hypothermia, pneumonia, or frostbite in humans and lead to severe illness.
These sea creatures have a sluggish metabolism and only a small layer of fat despite their appearance of being “chubby,” making it difficult for them to retain body heat.
Florida State Parks states that sanctuaries, like Blue Spring, are crucial for the survival of this biology.
Source: independent.co.uk
