If you were out on Gulfport Beach around 9 a.m. on October 13, you might have noticed a disturbance in the water. Drone photographer Lawrence Irvin with Altered Homes LLC captured amazing footage of group – known as a herd or, more clinically, an “aggregation” – of manatees frolicking and snacking on sea grass near the shore.
“They weren’t exactly subtle,” Irvin told the Gabber, adding that they “drew a small crowd even that early in the morning.”
According to the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), manatee populations in Florida have rebounded well from the early 1990s, when aerial surveys began. The estimated population at that time was little more than 1,200. Now the FWS says there are well over 6,ooo of the gentle aquatic mammals in the state. However, manatees are still protected under the Endangered Species Act.
As the weather cools, manatees seek warmth inland from the shore – sometimes gathering in large groups in places like Florida springs, which maintain a constant temperature.
As always, boaters should be on the lookout for manatees in fresh or saltwater. Learn more about manatee conservation here.
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