Positive Encounters With Gentle Giants

It’s manatee season again. This is the time of year (late November through early March) when Florida’s manatee population clusters in locations such as Crystal River and Homosassa to avoid the colder waters of the Atlantic and Gulf. It is also the time when divers and snorkelers flock to the same locations in greatest numbers, seeking to interact with these gentle giants.

Among the best ways to enjoy a manatee encounter is to take advantage of one of the many commercially operated manatee tours in the Crystal River area. This not only increases your chances of seeing manatees, it also helps reduce the risk that you will accidentally cause to harm these big fellows, or run afoul of the many laws protecting them. (Follow this link for a list of area operators.)

The vast majority of manatees avoid human contact. In fact, the unwelcome presence of humans can cause manatees to leave their sanctuaries and protected habitats, putting them at even greater risk or injury or death.

There is a small percentage of the manatee population (roughly one manatee in ten) that will actually seek out the opportunity to approach and interact with snorkelers. This percentage appears to consist largely of adolescent animals. As manatees mature, their desire for human contact seems to diminish. Mothers with calves, in particular, appear wary of humans.

Although humans often anthropomorize (the act of ascribing human emotions or motivations to animal behavior), the fact is that manatees who seek out human contact are only mildly curious and have no desire to “bond” with humans on a spiritual level. What they are most likely seeking is the opportunity to be scratched or petted. Like dogs or cats who seek similar attention, they do so simply because it feels good.

Humans, on the other hand, appear to get a lot from their interaction with manatees. We often describe the experience as “magical,” and are moved at a very emotional level.

It is important to bear in mind that human interaction is by no means essential to any individual manatee’s health or well being. It may even cause changes in manatee behavior that are not helpful to the species’ survival. Irresponsible human behavior that chases manatees from safe habitats or interferes with their ability to eat, breathe or care for their young can be very harmful.

In the short term, it is even possible that banning all human/manatee contact might have a somewhat beneficial effect on the manatee population. In the long term, however, it is possible that continued human/manatee interaction has at least one positive effect. That is, it increases the number of people who are aware of the threat to this species and who are sufficiently motivated to do something about it. This is the only possible justification for interacting with manatees at all.

When interacting with manatees in their natural habitat, it is vital to do so in a manner that:

• Does not threaten nor harm the animals in any way.

• Causes the least disruption of the animals’ normal behavior.

• Complies with federal, state and local laws designed to help protect manatees. (These laws are rigidly enforced by a variety of officials; fines are substantial.)

Here are several steps you can follow when interacting with manatees that will help you meet these objectives:

• Do not use scuba in the presence of manatees. The bubble noise disturbs them and will cause them to go elsewhere. Manatee observation or interaction should only take place when divers are breathing through snorkels.

• Do not use camera strobes or video lights in the presence of manatees. This appears to disturb them greatly.

• Enter and exit the water in a manner that causes the least disturbance possible. Do not dive in or make giant-stride-type entries. If there are manatees in the immediate vicinity of where you plan to enter, select an alternate entry point (i.e., the opposite end of the boat, several yards down the shoreline, etc.).

• Stay out of designated manatee refuges and habitats. Entering these areas is not only illegal, it fails to recognize that manatees often swim into refuges to avoid human contact.

• Never approach a manatee in the water. Always let the manatee decide to come to you. Never follow or chase a manatee. (This constitutes harassing a manatee and is illegal.) If you come upon a manatee while swimming or snorkeling, stop. Hold your position. If the manatee wants human contact, it will approach. Otherwise, observe passively and wait until the manatee leaves the area of its own accord before continuing to swim or snorkel in another direction.

• Give manatee mothers and calves a particularly wide berth.

• Do not make surface dives while snorkeling in the presence of manatees. This constitutes approaching a manatee and is, again, illegal. It is also a behavior some manatees appear to find very threatening.

• If a manatee approaches, allow it to be the one who initiates physical contact. (In other words, allow it to bump or rub up against you first.)

• When making contact with a manatee, use one hand only. If you touch a manatee with both hands, you are considered to be holding or restraining the manatee. This is, again, illegal. To avoid doing so accidentally, it helps to hold one hand behind your back.

• Manatees appear to enjoy being gently scratched on the back and, especially, under the pectoral flippers. (This is the teat area and is particularly sensitive on both male and female manatees.) A small number of manatees will actually roll over, much like a dog, to allow you to scratch their stomachs. Do not touch manatees anywhere around the head, mouth, eyes, nostrils, tail or genitals. Also be aware that repeated scratching in the same spot will stop feeling good after a while and start to irritate and hurt your big buddy.

• Even the most friendly of manatees will need to stop occasionally and breathe. When a manatee begins to move away from you, let it do so. Do not interfere with this or any other behavior. If the manatee desires further interaction, it will return and re-initiate contact.

• When in the water with manatees, always comply with the instructions of federal, state and local officials, as well as with those of local dive and tour operators. They know what they are talking about.

Remember that, by allowing you to interact with it, a manatee has given you an opportunity that few people enjoy. Reciprocate by making others aware of the manatee’s plight, and by learning what steps you can take to help prevent or delay these animal’s extinction.