keystone species<\/a>\u00a0and their presence is a strong indicator of the health of a riverine ecosystem.\u00a0These animals are protected (under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973), but much of their habitat is not. Population decline became noticeable by the early 1980s, a result of pollution, fatal collisions with watercraft and significant loss of habitat to development. This sparked the creation of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in 1983, a 32.4 hectare site consisting of 20 islands designated as Manatee Protection Areas.\u00a0<\/p>Other conservation measures followed, including the designation of Kings Bay as a Manatee Protection Area in 2012 (comprising seven manatee sanctuaries that are off-limits from 15th November to 31st March), and, in the same year, the formation of Save Crystal River Incorporated, a nonprofit organisation.<\/p>
Nonetheless, these creatures remain vulnerable across the state. In 2021, 1,100 of the total population of up to 7,000 died, with many of the fatalities occurring in the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast. Starvation was the main cause of death, a result of seagrass being killed off by pollution and associated algal blooms. According to Ranger Monica Scroggin of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, this mass die-off was an \u2018Unusual Mortality Event\u2019. In 2022, manatee deaths in Florida decreased to 800, but this figure was still higher than the five-year average of 741.<\/p>For such a huge aquatic mammal the manatee is surprisingly agile. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>As we enter the channel that merges with Crystal River, I see \u2018Idle Speed\/No Wake Zone\u2019 signs warning vessels to operate extremely slowly. It\u2019s a clear reminder of one of the biggest problems that manatees face \u2013 sharing their waterways with humans, particularly as enforcement of the law in relation to watercraft appears to be crucially lacking. These buoyant creatures often float near the surface, and even with speed restrictions, can be struck by recreational motorboats and speedboats, hundreds of which are moored in and around Kings Bay.\u00a0<\/p>
It\u2019s something that\u2019s clearly on everyone\u2019s minds as we potter along. Vince\u2019s laid-back manner, shared by his shipmate, Alyssa, is deceptive. Both are quietly on alert, constantly on the lookout for animals that might venture too close, and we cruise at the minimum speed. Houses line the water\u2019s edge, many of them complete with private docks and expensive-looking boats. According to Mike Engiles, owner of Crystal River Watersports, Crystal River is probably one of the most urban-impacted of all National Refuges.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
Rain from an incoming storm is starting to fall, and there are a few flashes of lightning, followed by thunder, but this quickly dissipates to release a fresh, invigorating odour. By now, the crew has located two large females, thanks to the tell-tale presence of \u2018noodle soup\u2019 \u2013 a collection of snorkellers using flotation tubes.<\/p>The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) encourages \u2018passive observation\u2019 of manatees, which means not initiating contact or feeding them. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>We wait for these swimmers to depart, then tentatively drop anchor. As I\u2019m already fitted with a wetsuit, I can immediately slide into the water.\u00a0This is my first real opportunity to see manatees underwater and observe their poetic and undulating movements.\u00a0Gliding beneath the surface, I spot them resting on the shallow riverbed, nestling into the seagrass, unperturbed by my presence. I\u2019m amazed by their sheer size. These are large mammals that can reach lengths of up to four metres, with females larger than males.\u00a0<\/p>
One of the females has a distended belly and the crew suspects she might be pregnant. It\u2019s good news for a species still in recovery, which is impeded by a slow birthrate. Females give birth to a single calf every three years, which they nurse underwater for one to two years, using teats located behind their flippers.<\/p>
I spend about 15 minutes admiring these incredible sea cows and taking in their huge, whiskered snouts and their mottled skin, grey overall but spotted with pinky-brown and even turquoise hues. After a while, one of them begins to ascend, and her companion follows. Even though I\u2019m keeping my distance, I feel unnerved that I\u2019m in their space. I back-paddle to provide them with more room to manoeuvre. Using their flippers to steer, they glide effortlessly through the water and drift away.\u00a0<\/p>
I spend about 15 minutes admiring these incredible sea cows and taking in their huge, whiskered snouts and their mottled skin, grey overall but spotted with pinky-brown and even turquoise hues.<\/p>
These animals may be docile, but they are also intelligent and approach humans out of curiosity. In this instance, they obviously have better things to do. I\u2019m giddy from such a unique natural experience, yet I\u2019m also left wondering whether such proximity might impact their behaviour, particularly with the growing numbers of tourists coming to swim with them.<\/p>
Save Crystal River has been a stellar example of grassroots conservation. For decades, Kings Bay had been a huge draw for visitors who came to \u2018take the waters\u2019 and enjoy outdoor activities such as boating and camping. But by the early 1990s, it was startlingly obvious that the water was no longer as clear as it once was. The major cause of this was a green-blue algae, known as\u00a0Lyngbya<\/em>, taking over springs and rivers and pushing out the seagrass.<\/p>Manatees swimming through the crystal-clear waters at Three Sisters Springs. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>Fearing that nothing was being done to address the situation, local residents banded together with the goal of restoring their waterways to their former glory, and Save Crystal River was born. Determined to get rid of the algae, they started raking it up by hand. But with the bay measuring in excess of 242ha, they needed a more efficient solution. After schoolchildren sent letters to legislators and residents went knocking on political doors, funding was finally secured for the Kings Bay Restoration Project.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
A pilot programme was launched in 2015, focussing on an area of just 1.3ha. According to administrator Traci Schoenrock, no one, including scientists, ecologists and business leaders, thought it would work. The idea was to vacuum up the\u00a0Lyngbya<\/em>, then replant the area with seagrass. The results were remarkable and to date, 33.5 hand-planted hectares of seagrass have spread to more than 120ha.\u00a0<\/p>Save Crystal River, currently working on a project to restore a total of 37.2ha, is applying to secure funding to restore another 32.4ha in the northern section of Kings Bay. Thanks to their efforts, habitat in the National Wildlife Reserve appears to be recovering and, it seems, the manatee population with it.<\/p>
\u201cOur manatees are happy and healthy as a result of our projects, and we have more year-round manatees than in the past because of the available food source,\u201d says Traci. \u201cThere is also more than a 75 per cent increase in species diversity in areas of restoration versus non-restoration.\u201d<\/p>
The good work doesn\u2019t stop there. Kings Bay\u2019s expansive Three Sisters Springs reserve is considered the last truly wild spring environment, possibly in all of Florida. It’s 23.4ha, once privately owned and slated for development, now comprise a manatee sanctuary. It\u2019s a work in progress, but sea cows, alongside wildlife such as alligators and snakes, are starting to make a strong comeback. This reserve has 400m of boardwalks, which allow visitors to see the manatees without disturbance.\u00a0<\/p>
In addition, if manatees are injured or orphaned, there are five acute-care facilities across Florida that provide rehabilitation and release, including Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs state park, renowned for its three spring vents and underwater observatory.\u00a0<\/p>
There is more than a 75 per cent increase in species diversity in areas of restoration versus non-restoration.<\/p>
Chugging back along the river, it is easy to understand the concern for manatees here, but there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. One positive example is that the US Fish and Wildlife Service initiated an Endangered Species Act five-year status review in 2021 for the West Indian manatee, which includes the Florida Manatee subspecies, to assess ongoing conservation efforts and ensure that all listed species are appropriately classified.\u00a0<\/p>
Let\u2019s hope that, with joint efforts by boat owners, citizens, government organisations and NGOs, the sea cow can thrive once again.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>Manatees have\u00a0a pair of nostrils and a snout covered in highly sensitive whiskers. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>What is a manatee?<\/h3> Manatees<\/a>\u00a0are marine mammals that are closely related to the dugong and distantly related to the elephant. There are three species of manatee \u2013 the West Indian, African and Amazonian. The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, as is the Antillean (or Caribbean) manatee. Dugongs and manatees are very similar, and you can tell the difference by the tail: the manatee has a paddle; the dugong has a triangular-shaped fluke. But ID in the field is easy as the two species live on opposite sides of the globe; their habitat doesn\u2019t overlap.<\/p>Manatee manners<\/h3> Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Crystal River each winter to swim and snorkel with manatees. While tourism supports the local economy, the number of people in the rivers recreationally is also raising concerns about disturbance. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) encourages \u2018passive observation\u2019 of manatees, which means not initiating contact or feeding them, but these guidelines are not always enforced. It is illegal to feed, water, disturb or harass manatees.\u00a0<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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