Manatee Spotted at Fly Creek Moves On
By: Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
December 20, 2025
FAIRHOPE, Ala. From time to time, manatees, also called “sea cows” make their way further north out of Florida and into the Alabama Gulf Coast region.
We’ve seen them in years past in the Mobile Bay, the Theordore Industrial Channel and beyond seeking warmer waters with plentiful food sources.
And once again this year, a manatee was spotted in the area of Fly Creek in Fairhope.
These unique animals are docile and fun to watch but being this far north at this time of year can also pose a problem for these large warm-blooded creatures.
Several have had to be rescued in our area in recent years said Ruth Carmichael, a senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and professor of marine and environmental sciences at the University of South Alabama.
“They don’t do very well when the water temperatures are below about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. And our water temperatures have recently dropped below that,” Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist Ruth Carmichael said. Colder water stresses them and increases the potential for manatees to become stuck and unable to move on.
When the manatee was spotted in the marina on Wednesday, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab was called to come check on the animal.
“The animal does look like it’s in pretty bad shape,” Carmichael said. “We are definitely making it a priority for a rescue if the animal settles down into a single location that would allow that to be possible.”
If someone spots a manatee during this time of year, it’s important to stay your distance and contact authorities.
There is a toll free number or someone can also call local law enforcement who will then contact the proper authorities.
You can also call the Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network Hotline a call if anyone sees this manatee or any others in the area. The phone number to call is 866-493-5803.
It appears that the manatee at in the Fly Creek area has moved on and didn’t need human intervention.
Copyright 2025 Blue RAM Media. All rights reserved.
