Lee County's manatees at risk as cold front hits; 30 deaths concern locals

LEE COUNTY — The cold front moving into the area is causing concern for local manatees, with as many as 30 having already died from cold stress in the waterways.

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Patrick Rose, executive director of Save the Manatee Club, said, "Any additional stress could be enough to push them over the edge."

Rose explained that while recent warming trends provided some relief, the upcoming cold snap poses a serious threat to manatees still recovering.

"Manatees would likely have been safe over this last week with the warming trends we had," Rose said. "But those that are more stressed and already in poor body condition, they're going to stay in the warmer water longer, because they really can't even take that that cold."

Tiffany Burns, senior director of animal programs at Zoo Tampa, sees the impact of cold stress firsthand.

"Cold stress is our second highest reason as to why animals come into our critical care facility," Burns said.

She explained that without warm water, manatees try to preserve their vital organs, leading to lesions similar to hypothermia in humans.

"When they don't have that warm water, they really want to preserve their organs and everything that is important to them," said Burns. "So what we start to see are lesions on their tail or their muscles or their flippers, again, similar to some hypothermia, things that you would see in people."

Rose emphasized how sensitive manatees are to changes in water temperature.

"One of the unfortunate parts about manatees metabolism and physiology, is that they literally, if the water isn't warm enough, even if they have food in their stomachs, it's not going to be able to continue to digest it properly," he said.

He added that manatees rely on their fat reserves, which deplete quickly.

"They’re having to live off their fat reserves, which the only ones that are available to them right away get used up very quickly over a matter of days," Rose said.

For those out on the water, Rose advises vigilance.

"Look for any manatees that might be having difficulty either keeping their balance breathing more rapidly, if they're breathing once every minute or less, that manatee is in trouble," he said.

If a struggling manatee is spotted, Rose urges people to call the Florida hotline at 888-404-3922.

Both Rose and Burns noted that manatees still struggling will stay close to power plant discharges for warmth until temperatures rise again.

WINK News will continue to provide updates on the manatees' status as the cold front progresses.