Is it a herd?
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While the chubby round bodies of manatees may appear well-insulated, looks can be deceiving. Most manatees only have about one inch of body fat, and are extremely sensitive to chilly temperatures.
"The last couple of weeks we've had really strong cold fronts, one after another," says Monica Ross, director of manatee research and conservation for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. "Anything below 20C (68F) and a manatee will have to thermoregulate or they start losing heat. And below 16C (60F) they get cold stress syndrome – their extremities do not get blood flow and they could lose skin or portions of their extremities, such as a portion of their tail, from cold stress."
In addition to the drop in temperatures, multiple algae blooms on Florida's east coast have killed off large swathes of seagrass, the manatees' main food source. Toxic "red tide" algae blooms have also claimed the lives of a number of manatees on Florida's coastline.
Ross says both the drop in temperature and algae may be driving the increased numbers of manatees in locations throughout central Florida.
And there's yet another possible reason why manatees are gathering at Blue Spring State Park: the location is a rare protected sanctuary for the animals, who are at risk of injury or death from collisions with watercraft. During the winter months (November through March) the park prohibits recreations such as canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming.
The park provides protection from human activity so that the animals can safely rest and truly conserve all their energy.
Perhaps the most compelling theory for this unprecedented gathering? "I think the manatees know they are safe at Blue Spring State Park through their experiences there," says Ross.
An unprecedented 1,000 manatees are gathering in Florida this week – but why?
A record number of manatees converged at a Florida state park this week. Experts weigh in on this "very unusual" phenomenon.
www.bbc.com
While the chubby round bodies of manatees may appear well-insulated, looks can be deceiving. Most manatees only have about one inch of body fat, and are extremely sensitive to chilly temperatures.
"The last couple of weeks we've had really strong cold fronts, one after another," says Monica Ross, director of manatee research and conservation for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. "Anything below 20C (68F) and a manatee will have to thermoregulate or they start losing heat. And below 16C (60F) they get cold stress syndrome – their extremities do not get blood flow and they could lose skin or portions of their extremities, such as a portion of their tail, from cold stress."
In addition to the drop in temperatures, multiple algae blooms on Florida's east coast have killed off large swathes of seagrass, the manatees' main food source. Toxic "red tide" algae blooms have also claimed the lives of a number of manatees on Florida's coastline.
Ross says both the drop in temperature and algae may be driving the increased numbers of manatees in locations throughout central Florida.
And there's yet another possible reason why manatees are gathering at Blue Spring State Park: the location is a rare protected sanctuary for the animals, who are at risk of injury or death from collisions with watercraft. During the winter months (November through March) the park prohibits recreations such as canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming.
The park provides protection from human activity so that the animals can safely rest and truly conserve all their energy.
Perhaps the most compelling theory for this unprecedented gathering? "I think the manatees know they are safe at Blue Spring State Park through their experiences there," says Ross.
