Visitors flock to Manatee Park in Lee County as winter chill brings sea cows inland

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

As water temperatures drop, manatees are known to swim to Manatee Park in Lee County, attracting visitors eager to see them in the warmer canal waters.

Sofia and Addison Trigsted, from Chicago, expressed their excitement, saying, "It's very cool we just have fish by us."

Some visitors reported seeing up to 10 manatees swimming in the canal, making it a perfect spot for photography enthusiasts.

Tait Lapham from Virginia, a former zookeeper, shared his passion for wildlife, stating, "I like seeing what kind of animal subjects I can get."

The canal off Palm Beach Boulevard is favored by manatees because the power plant discharge keeps the water warmer than other places. If manatees remain in cold water, they risk getting sick.

Andy Garrett, FWC's manatee rescue coordinator, explained, "They start trying to conserve that internal body heat. So they'll start, basically kind of shutting down the areas around their tails and their flippers and their face to kind of keep the blood towards the middle of the body."

He added that some manatees are still making their way to the warmer water, which could be why fewer were seen than expected.

Bonnie Abellera from Tallahassee suggested that more manatees are present than visible, saying, "I think there's a lot more in the canal, you just can't see them, you need to wear polarized sunglasses, and you can see them better. I know there's manatees in there and there's a lot more than 10."

Many people lined up by the canal to see the manatees, excited to watch them come up for air, though some expected to see more.

Lapham noted, "Going into wildlife, you kind of just take what it gives you."

He, like many others, was searching for the perfect photo, anticipating a large gathering of manatees in the park's warmer waters.

Garrett mentioned that some manatees might be lagging behind due to the recent cold front, saying, "If they were out at the Caloosahatchee River yesterday when that front came through, you know, they're probably traveling now."

Despite this, the manatees that did appear impressed travelers, with Sofia and Addison Trigsted remarking, "It's very cool we just have fish by us, not manatees, it's pretty cool."

A busy weekend is expected as more manatees make their way to the warmer water.

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