Florida manatees are vulnerable to cold stress syndrome when exposed to water temperatures below 20 degrees c for extended periods of time bossart ET AL 2022

To survive florida winters manatee aggregate at natural and artificial warm water sites where water temperatures remain approximately 22 degrees c laist ET AL 2013. Natural warm water sites are crucial for manatee survival as the status of artificial warm water sites is largely uncertain with many powerplants proposing to shut down in the near future. Kings BAY supports the largest wintering manatee aggregation in a natural system kleen and breland 2014 and has developed a robust ecotourism industry allowing people to swim with manatees. Consequently the united states fish and wildlife service crystal river national wildlife refuge USFWS crnwf was established within the BAY to protect manatees. USFWS crnwr manages seven seasonal manatee sanctuaries that prohibit public access from 15 november to 31 march each year and four temporary manatee sanctuaries that prohibit public access during extreme cold events. While ambient temperatures drive local manatee migrations to kings BAY annually their habitat use and preferences for warm water sites managed by USFWS crnwr depend on a combination of environmental factors and human presence and management strategies slone ET AL. 2023. Understanding how these factors influence manatee habitat use and preferences for warm water sites managed by USFWS crnwr can help to inform adaptive management strategies slone ET AL. 2023 investigated habitat use between warm water sites within kings BAY using telemetry data from 2006 to 2018 and manatee counts at three sisters springs a warm water seasonal manatee sanctuary managed by USFWS crnwr from 2014 to 2017. The study found a relationship between habitat use and tidal changes and time of day and ambient gulf water temperatures and the presence of visitors. The results were subsequently used to establish a temperature threshold 17 degrees c that triggers temporary closures and or expansions of warm water sites managed by USFWS crnwr. However the data is outdated and new data is needed to support current management efforts. Additionally acquiring a data set that is more robust and reflective of the entire population rather than only a subset of tagged individuals will help to ensure management decisions are more comprehensive and effective.