A large group of manatees was spotted in the Outer Banks this weekend and experts expect to see more in the coming years, as climate change brings warmer waters.
Ocean temperatures in the Outer Banks currently sit around 65°F, allowing manatees to stop for food as they migrate from the Northeast back down to Florida.
Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator for Jennette’s Pier, Marina Doshkov said manatee sightings in North Carolina are by no means a new thing, but it's no longer a rarity.
“The manatees were here back in the 1970s, but they’ve been slowly increasing and coming further and further north just because of climate change and the warmer waters along the coast.”
A group of eight manatees was seen this weekend in South Shores.
“I think we’re starting to see manatees more and more every year. And so, we’re starting to get these larger and larger groups.”
Doshkov said it's crucial that visitors and residents don’t feed or interact with the manatees for their safety.
“They really need to be focused on just stocking up, there’s plenty of seagrass in these canals for them to eat. We want them to keep going south, we don’t want them to hangout too long.”
Water temperatures are dropping as winter approaches in North Carolina and it’s dangerous for manatees to linger in areas too far north.
Doshkov continues to monitor manatee sightings each year as the marine climate continues to shift.