November marks "Manatee Awareness Month" and officials are cautioning boaters to watch out for the sea cows who are heading toward warmer waters.

Florida Fish and Wildlife says the story of two manatees released into the wild on Tuesday is a prime example of why people should pay better attention.

The mother manatee and her young calf are now in natural waters at Merritt Island's Kars Park. The mom was struck by a boat in the Satellite Beach area in May. FWC and SeaWorld were able to round them both up. Over the past few months they’ve nursed the large manatee back to good health and kept the pair together.

"We were fortunate to catch both," FWC Biologist Ann Spellman said.

Thirty percent of manatee deaths are due to watercraft.

This month is focused on protecting sea cows, especially as they are on the move this time of year because water temperatures drop below 68 degrees.

"This time of year you have a lot of manatees moving, they are going to be moving to the warmer waters, and they are going to be traveling in the main waterways," said FWC Officer Lenny Salberg.

That's why seasonal manatee zones go into effect Nov. 15. With nearly 4,000 manatees counted statewide, you can see why it's highly likely a boater might encounter one in the zones.

That's what happened to the mother manatee.

As the mother and child were released, the Meyer family of Orlando looked on.

"They got rescued and then they went home," said Addison Meyer.

Now the family wants to help spread the word to boaters that the manatees are on the move.

"They just need to slow it down a bit and watch out around them," Addison’s father, Dale said.


A slow speed zone in Brevard County reminds boaters about manatees. (Greg Pallone, Staff)

Being aware of manatees while boating

Florida Fish and Wildlife asks boaters to be manatee-aware. They want boaters to follow these rules from the FWC website:

  • Abide by the posted speed zone signs while in areas known to be used by manatees or when observations indicate manatees might be present.
  • Try to stay in deep-water channels whenever possible.
  • Avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas. Manatees are often found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, lagoons, and coastal areas.
  • Remain at least 50 feet away from a manatee when operating a powerboat.
  • Please don't discard monofilament line, hooks, or any other litter into the water. Manatees and other wildlife may ingest or become entangled in this debris and can become injured or even die.

FWC also asks boaters to wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare on the water. This will help you see manatees more easily.

FWC says when looking for manatees, observers may see a swirl on the surface of the water caused by a manatee that's diving. They may also see the animal's back, snout, tail or flipper break the surface.

If you do hit a manatee, FWC asks that you report it immediately so crews can get to the animal faster. Call the Wildlife Alert number at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or dial *FWC.