Hundreds of manatees flood Florida state park as rivers remain cold

Christie Zizo
Clickorlando.com
Wed, 28 Dec 2022 14:08 UTC

Hundreds of manatees flood Florida state park

Sea cows come to the spring because it's a constant 72 degrees

The St. Johns River's temperature is still in the 50s, and that means manatees continue to pile into nearby Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County.

The Save the Manatee Club counted 561 manatees at the spring Wednesday.

In recent days, so many manatees have been at the spring that it's been tougher to make the daily count.

On Tuesday, Blue Spring State Park staff counted 653 manatees.

Manatees go to Blue Spring State Park when the temperatures drop because the spring stays at a constant 72 degrees.

Manatees prefer warmer temperatures and can get seriously ill if they are cold-stressed.

If you see a sick, injured, orphaned or dead manatee, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).