For years, one of the items on my travel bucket list was to swim with manatees in Florida, but the more I researched the topic, the more I wondered if this was the best way to interact with these fascinating sea mammals.
There is growing concern among wildlife managers that direct, close-up interactions—such as swimming with manatees—can have more negative impacts on them than less invasive activities like kayaking or observing them from the shore.
While scientific research on these impacts is still developing, there is growing evidence that prolonged close contact with people can stress the animals which disrupts activities such as feeding, resting or caring for young.
A 2023 study published in the The Journal of Wildlife Management found that manatees were more likely to visit Three Sisters Spring in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Florida when the springs were closed to visitors, concluding that manatee movements were consistent with avoiding human interactions.
There is also a concern that repeated close encounters could habituate manatees to human presence, potentially increasing their risk of injury. For example, animals that become accustomed to swimmers might be less cautious around boats or other hazards.
That’s why I chose to use a kayak to watch manatees during a recent visit to Crystal River, Florida instead of swimming with them.
Our visit to the famous winter haven for manatees was on an unusually cold, overcast day in January that threatened rain. Our guide was Dani Acree, a Crystal River native who works with Paddles Outdoor Rentals to bring tourists out to see the manatees who flock here from the Gulf of Mexico. The manatees come here because of the warm water flowing from nearby natural springs from December to March, but the number of animals peaks in January and February.
“People come here from all over the world to see manatees. A lot of people come from Europe, from all over the country, from everywhere,” said Acree. “It’s a bucket-list item for a lot of people.”
As we paddled past the local marina towards one of Three Sisters Springs, a popular hot spot for viewing manatees, I asked her about her feelings towards swimming with the animals versus approaching them by boat.
“I think that manatees do enjoy people. They’re curious like we are and they do tend to like to check you out, but there are a lot of boat companies and a lot of people swimming out there. I think there should be more restrictions,” said Acree. “I think manatees should be seen from a kayak, just to give them their space, not to intrude on them.”
Acree’s advice is to go as early in the day as possible when manatees are the most active and on a sunny day when it is easier to see them in the water.
As we paddled, we were delighted by numerous encounters with the animals as they silently glided beneath and alongside our transparent kayak. Especially wonderful was the sight of mothers with their young calves.
The greatest concentration of manatees were visible at the inlet to Three Sisters Springs. It also had the greatest concentration of tourists with kayaks, swimmers and observation boats crowding around to witness the amazing natural spectacle of these docile creatures. While it seemed to me like there were a lot of people here, Acree said that because of the poor weather, it was actually pretty quiet. On a busy day she said there could be as many as a hundred people gathered here.
After we made our way back to our launch spot, we grabbed lunch at a local restaurant then headed towards the boardwalk surrounding the parts of Three Sisters Springs that are not accessible by boat. Admission is $20 per head, but it offers a stress-free way to view manatees from another perspective.
As we walked along the boardwalk, a light rain started coming down, but it didn’t stop us from lingering to watch the animals even though, to be honest, they don’t do much. The manatees here are mostly resting in the warm water and only occasionally come up to exhale, take a breath then submerge again. From a distance, it’s easy to confuse them for rocks in the water. It was still wonderful to see so many of these wild creatures doing what they do.
While manatees were reclassified from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2017, they still face many threats.
Aarin Allen, an ecologist at Florida International University told National Geographic last year that there has been an ongoing increase in manatee deaths on Florida’s Atlantic Coast since 2021 mostly due a decline in seagrass which is the animals’ primary food source.
“A concerted effort is required to protect and restore manatee habitats, particularly seagrass meadows,” says Allen, who attributes seagrass depletion to pollution.
If you’re considering heading to Crystal River to view manatees, be sure to read the most current guidelines from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or recommendations from the Save the Manatee Club to ensure that your activities are both safe for you and minimally disruptive to the manatees.
