Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Today is Manatee Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the conservation and protection of one of the most iconic and gentle marine mammals in our coastal waters — the West Indian manatee. While these slow-moving, plant-eating sea cows are often associated with Florida’s springs and lagoons, they also make their way west during the warmer months, becoming seasonal visitors to the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Celebrating the Manatee

Observed on the last Wednesday in March, Manatee Appreciation Day highlights both the wonder of these marine mammals and the threats they face — including habitat destruction, water pollution, and boat strikes. Manatees are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and their well-being relies heavily on public awareness and conservation efforts.

Manatees in Alabama Waters

Each year, from late spring through early fall, manatees migrate into Alabama’s coastal bays and estuaries, including Bon Secour Bay, Wolf Bay, Perdido Bay, Mobile Bay, and the surrounding river systems. Drawn by warm temperatures and abundant aquatic vegetation, they glide through our local waters, often unseen unless a curious nose or flipper breaks the surface.

To better understand and protect these visiting manatees, the Mobile Manatee Sighting Network, part of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Marine Mammal Research Program, tracks manatee movements and encourages public reporting of sightings. Their research provides crucial insight into how manatees use Alabama’s coastal habitats.

To report a sighting, visit the Mobile Manatee Sighting Network website.

What You Can Do

If you’re out on the water this spring or summer, here are a few ways to help protect manatees:

• Follow no-wake zones and stay alert, especially in shallow water.
  
  
• Report manatee sightings to the Mobile Manatee Sighting Network — your observations support vital research.
  
  
• Avoid fertilizers and lawn chemicals that can harm the seagrass manatees feed on.
  
  
• Share awareness by speaking with friends and neighbors about manatees and how to protect them.
  
  

A Coastal Treasure Worth Protecting

Manatees are more than just a rare sight in Alabama — they are living indicators of the health of our marine and estuarine ecosystems. Their presence is a reminder of the natural richness of the Gulf Coast and our shared responsibility to protect it.

On this Manatee Appreciation Day, let’s celebrate these peaceful marine visitors and commit to safeguarding the waters they — and we — call home.