FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG) — A surprise visitor popped by Fly Creek Marina in Fairhope on Wednesday afternoon — people were greeted by a manatee near the docks.
While it’s an unforgettable memory to stumble upon one of these sea cows, scientists said that this time of year is not ideal.
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“They don’t do very well when the water temperatures are below about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. And our water temperatures have recently dropped below that,” Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist Ruth Carmichael said.
Ruth Carmichael is a senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and professor of marine and environmental sciences at the University of South Alabama. She told WKRG News 5 that when manatees migrate to warmer waters, they can easily get caught in a cold snap like we saw earlier this week.
“We have more animals coming here every year and they’re staying longer into the winter,” Carmichael said. “Unfortunately, that also means that we are seeing more animals that are potentially at risk for cold stress, which is the story with the Fly Creek animal.”
She explained that the average Coastal Alabama water temperature is increasing, but the minimum or lowest water temperatures of the season are not, meaning manatees can easily end up getting stuck due to developing cold stress…