It’s early in the morning at Wakulla Springs State Park in North Florida. The birds are just waking up. It’s barely 35 degrees—cold enough that steam appears to rise off the water.
In the summer, the first magnitude spring is a popular swimming spot. As the sun bakes the shore, the water, which is a constant 68 degrees no matter the season, offers cool relief. But today, the relative warmth of that unchanging water temperature is what draws a pod of manatees here.
And those manatees are what have draw visitors to top of two-story observation deck. They're also what’s drawn Emily Lekas and Kennedy McGrath to the state park today.
"Manatees are one of my favorite animals," Lekas says as she zips up her wet suit. "I think they're really cute. I like their little eyes. I like to hear them squeak under water!"
Lekas and McGrath are suiting up to snorkel with the manatees. If you’re wondering whether They're prepared for the chilly plunge, don’t worry, they've done it before.
"We were out here yesterday morning. It was great," Lekas says. "There were dozens of manatees, but it was pretty cold!”
Lekas is from Jacksonville, but she says she’s been coming to Wakulla Springs for years. This time she brought McGrath, a Missouri native, along.
McGrath says she and Lekas "are always doing fun ocean things together." They're both studying marine biology. But she adds that snorkeling with manatees is definitely a bucket list item.
Both women say they know the rules. They’ll keep a respectful distance and be sure not to disturb the gentle sea cows. That’s important says Michelle Pasawicz, Manatee Management Program Coordinator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“If an animal is spooked or disrupted or feels they don’t have an adequate place to rest at a warm water site they might leave and that could expose them to cold water temperatures for prolonged periods of time, which could be lethal," Pasawicz says.
Too much exposure to cold water can cause a manatee to become cold-stressed. They may appear lethargic, be unable to swim normally or even unable to feed themselves. In some cases cold stress can lead to death. That’s why Pasawicz says anyone observing manatees should mind their manatee manners.
“There isn’t an actual distance per say, but the golden rule is that if an animal responds to your presence or your activity, then you are too close," Pasawicz says. "So watching from a distance, whether that be on a kayak or a paddleboard, or even snorkeling in the water, you don’t want to get so close that that animal can feel your presence."
In recent years manatee deaths have been a concern. 2021 set the record with more than 1,000 deaths recorded—many of which were attributed to starvation. More recently those numbers have decreased and Pasawicz says thing are looking "pretty good." In 2024 565 manatee carcasses were found—well bellow the state's five-year average. And Pasawicz says very few of those deaths were linked to things like starvation and cold stress. Most stem from water craft collisions.
In the past, wildlife officials have operated a limited manatee feeding program in certain areas, but Pasawicz says there’s enough food naturally available now and the feeding program is no longer needed. But she adds, her team is carefully monitoring the animals especially during this chilly weather. She says anyone who sees a manatee in distress should call the state’s wildlife hotline.
