Record 6000 Manatees Spotted in Florida

A record 6,063 manatees were spotted in Florida this winter during the state's annual aerial survey, announced the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC).

During their February count, a team of 20 observers from 11 organizations counted 3,333 manatees on Florida's east coast and 2,730 on the west coast of the state. That beats out the previous record high set in 2010 by nearly 1,000 manatees, according to the FWC.

Although officials do note that this doesn't necessarily mean that the manatee population grew by nearly 1,000 animals in a single year. Warm temperatures and clear, sunny days scattered between the year's cold weather could have simply made the manatees more visible compared to prior surveys.

"Manatees used warm-water sites and other winter habitat areas to cope with a strong cold front that recently moved through the region," FWC biologist Holly Edwards told News WNDB. "In many of the regions surveyed, warm, sunny weather caused manatees to rest at the water's surface, which facilitated our efforts to count them in these areas. Calm waters and high visibility also contributed to the high count."

"We were very fortunate to have near-optimal conditions for our survey this year," added FWRI Director Gil McRae. "The high count this year is especially encouraging, given the large-scale mortality events that resulted in over 800 deaths in 2013."

Florida manatees, the state's marine mammal, are known for their annual migrations to coastal waters in search of warmer temperatures. However, their slow-moving nature makes them vulnerable to deadly run-ins with boats. According to Defenders of Wildlife, their grayish brown skin serves as a camouflage and makes them hard to spot in Florida waters.

Despite these collisions, officials now know that there are at least 6,000 manatees in Florida waters, a positive sign for the state's iconic marine mammal.

"Counting this many manatees is wonderful news," said FWC Chairman Richard Corbett. "The high count this year shows that our long-term conservation efforts are working."

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