Climate Change Banishing Manatee Food Sources
Photo courtesy D. Schricht Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Greetings! Manatees and Crystal River, Florida have a synergistic relationship. DuringManatee Season, which runs from November through March, these warm-blooded marine mammals visit warm Homosassa springs at Crystal River. In return thousands of manatee lovers flock to Crystal River to witness the gentle giants as they navigate the waters there for seagrass and its warm year-round balmy spring of 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, manatee biologist, Tiare Fridrich said, “The effects of climate change are intensifying every year, which could create conditions for more storms in the Crystal River area. Manatees have historically migrated to Crystal River in colder months, but climate change has become one of the primary factors making it difficult for manatees to recover and survive.”
Manatees were down listed from endangered to threatened in 2017 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. However, increasing intense weather events has scientists worried about their recovery.
Fridrich explained, “Vegetation in Kings Bay, Crystal River’s headwaters, was significantly impacted by the past couple of hurricanes (Helene and Milton). Scientists have known climate change is the issue for a long time, but I think we’re going to be starting to see worse and more frequent storms. Hurricanes can cause them to go far inland, where they normally would not go, and become trapped when water levels go down. Even in areas that are typical manatee habitat… waters that recede to irregularly low levels can also leave manatees stranded.”
Mike Walsh, clinical associate professor of aquatic animal health at the University of Florida said, “If you have increases in tides, increases in sea level, increased number of storms, storm surges from hurricanes, they drive saltwater up into the freshwater areas.” They affect food source, and then the animals can’t handle that lack of food. While there were successful increases in the number of manatees in Crystal River, hurricanes cause saltwater to intrude on the freshwater vegetation. This saltwater can knock back the freshwater vegetation toward the Gulf because it cannot handle the amount of salt there.”
Walsh continued and said, “A few years ago, an aquatic restoration company replanted seagrass in the Crystal River area which ultimately helped the species. However, this meant that the younger manatees got used to having their food source close by, and most were likely unaware that food was also in the Gulf. When the last hurricane threw saltwater up into the Crystal River area, it didn’t kill it all. But it knocked it back enough to where there was less food available for the increased number of manatees. There could be a delay in how fast a manatee population can react to climate change-related activities, such as needing to search elsewhere for food. The climate change changes their behavioral needs and what they’ve adapted to. And they adapt to new things, which then makes it harder for them to go back when something bad happens.”
Pat Rose, Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club said, “Some of the club’s priorities include reducing the causes of manatee mortality and rescuing sick or injured manatees and nursing them back to health before returning them to the wild.Food sources are threatened by a major saltwater or freshwater intrusion, which is a large amount of water moving into the space. As climate change causes sea levels to rise, especially with Crystal River being so close to the coast, plants have less access to sunlight hindering plant sustainability. It just shows you how these vegetative species are impacted by both the ability to have enough light, but also have the proper, you know, solidity for the particular species.”
Rose continued and said, “Seagrass is salt-tolerant vegetation, and Vallisneria, commonly called eelgrass, is a freshwater vegetation. So, either of these receiving an influx of the other water is deadly to the vegetation. If over time, you have very slow changes from one to the other, either the salt-tolerant seagrass would make its way upward, or if you have lots of freshwater, the freshwater’s species will, sort of, extend its range downstream, towards the Gulf. When these intrusions happen too quickly, it eliminates the chance for either of the food sources to survive.”
Here’s an Excellent Way to Talk to Kids with “Soft Facts” about Climate Change
One awesome tool for talking to kids about climate change is to read my fourth installment in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® Children’s Educational Picture Book series. It’s titled, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. It contains “soft facts” about climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans.
When you read this award-winning educational picture book to children, it’s a fun and fictional adventure loaded with weaved in “soft facts” on climate change and plastic pollution. This quickly helps children learn about this serious subject in a fun and entertaining way. Here’s a brief synopsis …
Kobee Manatee, the protagonist and his seafaring pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab swim from the Cayman Islands to Belize. Kobee wants to help his cousin Quinn clean up plastic litter at her new, all-veggie underwater bistro called Quinn’s Seagrass Café.
On their Caribbean journey they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, several other unforeseen problems occur with a distressed loggerhead turtle, a giant Portuguese man-of-war, and a venomous scorpionfish. They’re all amazed when they discover the extraordinary Great Blue Hole. Then their adventure takes another crazy turn when Pablo plunges into its huge abyss!
Each page includes in-depth, scientific details on climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans with Dr. Tracy Fanara, NOAA Research Scientist (aka Inspector Planet). Tracy can be seen on The Weather Channel as a visiting expert and she’s also seen on their “Weird Earth” segments.
We have Fantastic Reviews on this New Release!
“I read the book to my 6-year-old this morning while he was having his breakfast before school and he loved it! We talked about the characters, what it meant for the pollution to be in the oceans for all the sea creatures, and how fun the story was. Thank you so much for writing such a great story for kids that is not only entertaining, but has a message!” – Jessica Vilchis, Co-Host KNBC California Live
“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.” —Readers’ Favorite
For young readers who enjoy imaginative tales surrounding affable and heroic sea creatures, as well as parents and/or teachers looking for a way to introduce youngsters to the importance of marine conservation, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard offers a perfect blend. Highly recommended! – Chanticleer Book Reviews
Keep watching for more of my updates on climate change!
If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC). They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.
Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …
Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …
~ Robert Scott Thayer
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