Blog Layout

Manatee Season Is Back In Local Waters

News Staff • May 30, 2024

Manatees migrate during the year

When the water temperatures are warm manatees feel at home in lower Alabama. According to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, manatees are regular visitors to Alabama waters, and some return year after year to feed, breed, and give birth. Their migration is so prevalent that one manatee tracked by researchers spent summers in Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and winters in Crystal River, Florida.


Weighing in at nearly half a ton and measuring upwards of 13 feet, it’s little wonder why manatees are called “gentle giants of the sea.” They inhabit both freshwater and saltwater environments, but need warm waters to thrive. So when the coastal waters of lower Alabama experience a drop in temperature during winter, manatees usually seek refuge in places like Crystal Springs in Florida where water temperatures are a constant 72 degrees. 


But that seems to be changing. As manatees make their journey to Florida, they take advantage of lower Alabama’s intricate network of rivers and estuaries that serve as essential routes for their migration. More and more of these gentle giants have been sticking around over the years due to local habitats that offer similar living conditions. In 2009, Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network captured and tagged the first manatee in Alabama waters. 


And it’s not just water temperatures that are keeping manatees around longer during the winter months. It’s the food. Seagrass, a major source of nutrition for manatees, has been dwindling along the Florida coastline. This shortage has caused a number of manatee deaths because the seagrass growth in Florida can’t keep up with the population explosion there in winter. That’s why the combination of warm water and plentiful aquatic vegetation makes our area such an attractive destination for manatees.


Manatees need our protection.

As manatees embark on their seasonal journey, it is our collective responsibility to preserve their habitats and the delicate ecosystems they rely on. Boating regulations and education programs are essential components of these preservation efforts. Conservationists and local authorities also play a crucial role in ensuring the protection of these areas by implementing measures to minimize human impact. 


See a manatee? Report it.

It’s important to know where manatees are, so they can be protected if water temperatures in the area suddenly drop. Anyone seeing a manatee should report it immediately and should not bother the animal or try to feed it. Instead, call Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network at 1-866- 493-5803 who will take the necessary action to protect them. 

  • gulf shores news

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • news in gulf shores

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • port at zekes

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • saunders marine gulf shores

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • yabbas snack shack

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • freedom boat club orange beach

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • buzzcatz coffee

    Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Recent Posts

News in the Gulf Shores area
By Ken Cooper March 30, 2025
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at Orange Beach City Hall to help meet the ongoing need for blood donations. The drive will take place on Monday, March 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 4099 Orange Beach Blvd. Donors will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card via email as a token of appreciation.
Gulf Shores Camping News
By News Staff March 30, 2025
If you scour social media it is easy to find tourist asking if they can camp on the local beaches. now they have an opportunity to do spend an evening on the white sands. Gulf State Park invites families to the Spring Beach Campout. The cost is $45 per tent for up to four people, with additional guests at $5 each. A parking pass is included.
Vietnam War Veterans Day - Gulf Shores News
By News Staff March 29, 2025
It is National Vietnam Veterans Day and we honor those who served for the USA. March 29th is a fitting day for the observance since it was the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. Today we honor all veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, and their families.
Show More
Share by: