TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - As manatees swim toward warmer waters amid cooler temperatures, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding people to be mindful of the animals while out on the water.

Wildlife officials recommend wearing polarized glasses while on a boat or watercraft to better spot the manatees in the water.

They also say reducing speed in marked areas is of paramount importance, as collisions can seriously injure or kill the marine mammals.

Just five months ago, an adult female manatee was killed in the Wakulla River because of a watercraft injury, according to the FWC.

A month before that, another manatee was killed in Taylor County, also due to a watercraft injury.

So far, in 2025, 89 manatees in Florida have been killed from watercraft injuri

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