Manatees migrating to warmer waters will be greeted with open
arms this year in Citrus County, Florida. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service recently announced an emergency rule to expand
protected areas for the temperature-sensitive marine mammals,
creating a refuge that includes all of Kings Bay in Crystal
River. Due to its naturally occurring warm water springs, Kings
Bay has been increasingly popular among wintering manatees. So
much, in fact, that the existing protected area has not proved
large enough to fit them all! Under this emergency rule (made
possible through the Endangered Species Act and the Marine
Mammal Protection Act), the Service will have management options
to immediately address the needs of the increasing number of
manatees coming to the area. These new provisions couldn’t have
come at a better time, with manatee deaths already at a record
high this year, mostly due to cold-related causes. The rules
will ensure the sea cows will have greater access to critical
warm water areas during the w