FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Residents of Fly Creek were delighted to find a group of eight West Indian Manatees swimming between the marina and about a quarter mile up the creek yesterday morning. The group included a large adult outfitted with a sattelite tag and a young manatee swimming alongside its presumed mother.

None of the animals appeared sick or injured and all lacked the disfiguring wounds from boat motors sometimes seen on the surface-dwelling creatures.

Last month, Dr. Ruth Carmichael of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab confirmed that there were manatees spotted along the Eastern Shore, and urged sightseers to try and steer clear.

“We’ve only just begun to gather information about their migratory patters,” Carmichael said. “They come here for the vegetation – the delta is like an all-you-can-eat salad bar for them.”

With Labor Day weekend beginning today, Carmichael urged boaters to be on the lookout for the slow-moving mammals, which are unable to avoid collisions with boats in shallower waters.

“Understanding where manatees go and what they do locally is mportant. It tells us about the health of the waterways. In a few weeks these manatees will be migrating back to their winteringgrounds and it is important that we keep a close watch on them.”  

Carmichael helped establish the Mobile Manatee Sighting Network four years ago to help track the animals as they move through Alabama waters. Anyone who spots manatees should call 1-866-493-5803 or e-mail manatee@disl.org.

See more manatee photos on www.baldwincountynow.com.