WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – About 100 manatee sightings are reported along the coast each year, and marine experts say late fall reports can mean the difference between life and death.
Despite their size, manatees have little blubber. Their stomach and intestines take up most of their body mass, causing a very low tolerance to cold temperatures.
“At the end of October, beginning of November, we start to worry about manatees as water temperatures drop to about 68 degrees,” said Dr. Tiffany Keenan, UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator.
When temperatures dip below that threshold, the clock begins ticking.
“They only have a limited amount of time before they start to have negative health impacts,” said Dr. Michael Tift, UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program Director.
Tift and Keenan said these animals should be headed to Florida’s warm waters by now. However, sometimes manatees hold off on leaving for several reasons.
“If they find an area somewhere where the water is warmer than the surrounding areas and there’s food, they tend to stay in those spots,” said Tift. “If they’re in marinas and people are giving them water or food, they don’t have the incentive to leave, which is why we don’t want to tell people to ever do those things.”
If manatees fail to migrate south, prolonged cold exposure can be deadly.
“They can go from being healthy to being cold-stunned in a matter of three hours,” said Keenan.
Distressed manatees may linger at the surface, wash ashore or show visible pink or red cold-stress sores.
Boaters are urged to stay vigilant on the water, maintain a safe distance and never touch, feed or provide freshwater to the animals.
Anyone who spots a manatee is asked to capture a photo or video from a distance and submit it online.
“They can snap a photo, or better yet a video. Please try to keep your distance,” said Tift. “You can easily upload it on our online reporting form and we will do everything we can to help that manatee.”
If an animal appears in immediate danger, call the UNCW hotline at 910-515-7354.
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