The recent cold weather means manatees have already started migrating to Kings Bay. So officials are taking steps to ensure they stay safe.
Hundreds of manatees come to Kings Bay in Crystal River to stay warm when the temperature drops. During a recent count from the air, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials spotted 213 manatees in the Bay, which is a lot for this early in the year.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials say they don’t usually see these kinds of numbers until late November.
"This year is one of those years when they were here the day after Halloween," said Ivan Vicente, who works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We already had over 100 manatees."
As a result, manatee sanctuaries in Kings Bay have been set up early. Two of them were put in place weeks ago.
Seven manatee sanctuaries have been set up around different springs in Kings Bay. The spring water stays about 72 degrees all year, which is how the manatees stay warm.
However, boaters need to be aware of them because, when the weather warms up, the manatees will leave the sanctuaries.
“Manatees could be resting in any spot during the warm spells," Vicente said. "It could be in the springs or in the middle of a navigational waterway.”
Officials are asking boaters to follow the rules and keep an eye out while out on the water.