Blue Spring has been a major home for the gentle giants during the wintertime in Florida since becoming a protected state ...

As the rising sun peeks through the trees along the Blue Spring run on cold winter mornings, park rangers peer down into the water, counting the Florida manatees basking in their version of a hot tub.

However, the naturally flowing spring waters stay a bit warmer compared to other aquatic habitats. Cold stress is a serious condition for manatees, so they move into the clear spring waters to ...

It’s a winter home to hundreds of swimming gentle giants and is one of the most popular state parks in all of Florida. Blue ... Berchem. Manatees retreat to the park and other springs around ...

And the .25-mile loop called the Sand Pine Scrub Trail between the main office and campground is the best place to spot Florida scrub jays. Manatees swimming in Blue Springs State Park.

“Florida’s manatees are suffering historic losses because of habitat loss, pollution, and watercraft collisions,” said Ryan Smart, executive director of the Florida Springs Council. “Now, more than ...

Like most Florida residents these days, manatees may not be native to the Sunshine State. A recent study shows the sea cows' ...

In August the Center, Florida Springs Council and Suncoast Waterkeeper petitioned the commission to require boater education courses to include information and test questions about manatees, other ...

After hitting record highs in recent years, Florida manatee deaths in 2024 were far below the five-year average. “That is a good sign," Tiare "TJ" Fridrich, a biologist with Save The Manatee Club, ...