As states around the U.S. expand their clean-energy capacity, experts discovered an alarming relationship between threatened manatees in Florida and coal-fueled power plants.
What's happening?
As detailed by National Geographic, a combination of urbanization, expanding industry, and rising sea levels has altered Florida manatees' access to food and their natural habitats. As a result, the creatures have begun teaching their offspring to depend upon warm water discharges from coal-fired plants during the colder winter months.
This is because manatees can suffer from cold water syndrome when temperatures drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, as they don't have insulating blubber.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium director of manatee research and conservation Monica Ross explained to the publication that manatees' "very opportunistic" nature is one reason they have zeroed in on the warm water discharges rather than migrating south to historic ranges in tropical waters or north to thermal basins and springs.
"More than 60% of manatees utilize Florida's industrial power plants during the cold season," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manatee management program lead Michelle Pasawicz added, per National Geographic.
While Florida has moved to roll back clean-energy goals under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, and dirty energy use overall remains high, Reuters reported the Sunshine State has also "steadily reduced" its coal-fired electricity generation over the past 10 years.
Why is this concerning?
Coal is the dirtiest and most deadly fuel, per Our World in Data, so Florida residents will surely breathe easier as pollution from coal-fired plants decreases in the Sunshine State.
However, experts fear that the manatees, listed as threatened by the U.S. Department of the Interior, could rejoin the endangered list as coal continues to fall out of favor and power plants close. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the creatures attract tourists, supporting the state's economy, and help keep the waterways unobstructed and in balance by eating vegetation and then excreting it as fertilizer.
"We can't just turn off [the power plants] and then expect the manatees to find these new places in time," Save the Manatee Club executive director Patrick Rose, who has studied the creatures since the 1970s, told National Geographic. "I suspect even under the best scenario, we're still going to have manatees that suffer as a result of this. I don't think we can eliminate that, and that's why we need to put these efforts in place soon."
What can be done to help the manatees?
From the manatees' expanding population to the unexpected revival of seagrass that led to a temporary suspension of an emergency hand-feeding program, there are reasons to be optimistic about the sea cows' future.
According to National Geographic, conservationists believe protecting Florida's springs is the most important part of ensuring manatees have a spot to winter.
Others suggest that creating warm water spots along manatees' historic migratory routes could alleviate the animals' dependence on power plants, as they'd remember the areas and teach their offspring about them.
Funding is one potential hurdle Rose highlighted to National Geographic. However, supporting organizations and eco-friendly policymakers is one way to support conservation efforts.
"By [helping] a species like the manatee, we're helping to sustain a protected, connected, and wild Florida for future generations," Defenders of Wildlife manatee expert and conservationist Ben Prater told the publication.
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