Story at a glance
- Hundreds of manatees were spotted at Three Sister Springs in Crystal River, Florida, on Friday.
- Drone video shared by the Southwest Florida Water Management District shows the animals seeking refuge in the springs.
- The shoreline around Three Sisters Springs was recently restored.
CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (WFLA) — Hundreds of manatees were spotted at Three Sister Springs in Crystal River, Florida, on Friday.
Drone video shared by the Southwest Florida Water Management District shows the animals seeking refuge in the springs.
“This is a great demonstration of why we recently restored the shoreline around Three Sisters Springs,” a representative with the water management district said.
Their Canal Stabilization Project, completed in 2016, repaired the eroded shoreline and will prevent erosion in the future, which is caused by both humans and manatees.
According to their website, the erosion caused cloudy waters, sediments to enter the spring vent, and trees to collapse, leading to the loss of habitat.
According to the springs’ site, the best chance of seeing manatees inside of the springs is on a cold (for Florida) winter day, when the water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Those usually occur during cold fronts and high tides from Nov. 15 to March 31.
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