What happens when cold Arctic air hits cold-blooded alligators in Florida’s swamps?
They go underwater.
As a rare southeast winter storm slammed into the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, experts said that while some wildlife, like alligators, can adapt to extreme cold, plus a cold snap The longer it is, the more dangerous it can be, especially to marine life.
That was the case for the 60 to 70 manatees gathered in the spring waters of Wakulla Springs State Park near Tallahassee, Fla., as snow and sleet fell Tuesday. Many manatees died during the 2010 freeze.
Scott Rylance, a senior maintenance mechanic at the park, said the cold-blooded alligators that live there also escape the bitter cold by retreating to the warm spring waters.
“It could be 10 degrees here, and this water will still be 70 degrees,” said Mr. Rylance, who ran the ranger station.
Alligators, which typically slow down in winter, adapt to the cold by seeking warmth in water, said Frank J. Mazzotti, a professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Florida. Even if ice covers a body of water, alligators can survive in the water below, sometimes by sticking their snouts through the ice to breathe, he said.
“It’s like having a snorkel,” Dr. Mazzotti said.
Manatees may head to warm spring waters, but prolonged exposure to extreme weather conditions can be fatal, Dr. Mazzotti said.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warned that sea turtles can become “cold-stunned” when water temperatures drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
“Cold-stunned sea turtles may float restlessly in the water, on or near shore,” the agency said, advising residents to report any injured, distressed or dead sea turtles.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries also warned that the cold blast could lead to fish kills in coastal areas of the state due to freezing water temperatures. Spotted trout and red drum, two coastal species, can experience problems when water temperatures drop below certain levels, Jason Adriance, a fisheries biologist with the department, said in a news release earlier this month -this.
“The rate at which the water cools is also important,” Mr Adriance said. “If fish have the opportunity to acclimatize and move, their potential for survival is higher.”
One of the biggest threats wildlife faces during periods of extreme weather comes from people concerned about the animals’ survival, said Tommy Tuma, wildlife administrator with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
For example, residents may see more wildlife searching for food under the snow and want to help them, Tuma said. But Mr Tuma and the department warned residents against taking in wild animals during the storm. Wild animals are intuitive, he said, and can detect when a weather event is imminent.
“They know it happens and they know how to deal with this sort of thing,” he said.
