Recent winters have not been kind to Florida’s gentle aquatic giants. Every November, many of the state’s manatees chase warmer waters and move inland; unlike other marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, the sea cows lack insulating blubber and need balmy temperatures of 68°F or above to survive. Until springtime, they huddle where they can find that warmth, grazing on seagrasses. Algal blooms caused by poor water quality, though, have lately devastated the seagrass supply—so far in 2022, 617
