Shem Creek Manatee

One of our vacation rental guests and her daughter were at the right place at the right time to have the opportunity to see a manatee on Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant. Unfortunately, rules were broken by giving him water. Having interaction with manatees alters their behavior. They cannot survive in our water temperatures in the winter & need to travel back to warmer water in Florida, but they will stay if they are being pampered which lessens their chance of survival.

Habitat and Range: Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas — particularly where seagrass beds or freshwater vegetation flourish. Manatees are a migratory species. Within the United States, they are concentrated in Florida in the winter. In summer months, they can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, but summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are more common.

Lifespan, Mortality, Population: West Indian manatees have no natural enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. As with all wild animal populations, a certain percentage of manatee mortality is attributed to natural causes of death such as cold stress, gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia, and other diseases. A high number of additional fatalities are from human-related causes. Most human-related manatee fatalities occur from collisions with watercraft. Other causes of human-related manatee mortality include being crushed and/or drowned in canal locks and flood control structures; ingestion of fish hooks, litter, and monofilament line; and entanglement in crab trap lines. Ultimately, loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing the approximately 3,800 manatees in the United States today.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service offers the following guidelines for interacting with manatees:
DO: Report sightings to your local wildlife officials or marine law enforcement office.
DO: Observe manatees from the surface of the water and at a distance.
DO: Avoid excessive noise and splashing that could disturb bottom-resting manatees. Manatees on the bottom are likely resting or feeding.
DO: Use snorkel gear if you are in the water, and maintain your distance when watching manatees.
DO: Operate boats at idle and slow speed in areas where manatees have been reported.
DO NOT: Feed manatees or give them water.
DO NOT: Ride, chase, poke or surround manatees.
DO NOT: Separate a mother and calf or an individual from a group.