The Brief
- As the temperatures plunged across Central Florida this week, hundreds of manatees gathered in the warm waters of Blue Spring State Park.
- According to officials, 697 manatees flocked to the park on New Year’s Day.
- Manatees may suffer from cold stress or hypothermia if exposed to water temperatures below 68 degrees for an extended period of time.
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The cold weather across Central Florida this week brought hundreds of manatees to Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County.
Nearly 700 manatees migrated to the park on New Year’s Day to escape the cold and to enjoy the warm waters of the spring.
“We welcomed 697 manatees in today’s count—a beautiful way to start 2026,” the park said in a post on its official Instagram account. “Wishing everyone a peaceful and hopeful year ahead.”…