Rare manatees spotted along Texas coast prompt warnings for boaters

manatees (representative image) This summer, an unusual visitor has been making waves along the Texas coast: the Florida manatee. Multiple sightings have been reported from Galveston to Port Mansfield, with some of the gentle giants lingering in busy harbours and marinas to drink from freshwater outflows. As temperatures soar, wildlife officials say the warm Gulf waters are drawing these rare marine mammals farther west than usual, but their presence in high-traffic boating areas is raising concerns. The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (TMMSN) has issued warnings to boaters and is asking the public to report sightings while avoiding actions that could put the animals at greater risk, according to reports by the Houston Chronicle and Midland Reporter-Telegram, as well as information from TMMSN’s research program.Why manatees are in Texas nowFlorida, or West Indian, manatees are federally protected as a threatened species under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They spend the winter in Florida’s warm springs and coastal waters, then migrate through the Gulf of Mexico during the summer, occasionally reaching Texas, Louisiana and even Mexico.“Texas is HOT and manatees are takin...