BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — If you’re spending time on the Cooper River or Tailrace Canal this summer, keep an eye on the water. You may spot one of South Carolina’s most unexpected seasonal visitors.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is asking residents and boaters to report manatee sightings as the gentle marine mammals make their annual migration from Florida to South Carolina’s coastal waters in search of warm water and abundant aquatic vegetation.
While manatees are considered uncommon visitors to the Palmetto State, Berkeley County has seen several memorable encounters over the years.
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In 2022, visitors at Old Santee Canal Park captured video of a West Indian manatee swimming near the park’s floating dock along the Cooper River. Park officials described the animals as annual, though uncommon, summer visitors and urged boaters to use extra caution in the Cooper River and Tailrace Canal.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Manatee Spotted At Old Santee Canal Park Floating Dock
Just weeks earlier, Moncks Corner resident Brenda Burbage and her family were fishing on the Tailrace Canal when they encountered an even rarer sight.
Instead of spotting a single animal, the family watched approximately 11 manatees swimming near their pontoon boat for several hours.
“My granddaughter couldn’t believe it,” Burbage told The Berkeley Observer at the time.
According to SCDNR, Florida manatees migrate north each summer as water temperatures rise, taking advantage of South Carolina’s plentiful seagrass and aquatic vegetation before returning south in the fall. The animals typically arrive in May and remain until November, when water temperatures begin dropping below about 68 degrees.
READ MORE: Rare Manatee Sighting In Berkeley County Caught On Camera
Because the mammals spend much of their time in murky waterways, wildlife officials say it’s difficult to estimate how many visit South Carolina each year. Most of the nation’s estimated manatee population remains concentrated in Florida.
To better understand where manatees travel and how they use South Carolina’s waterways, SCDNR is encouraging anyone who spots one to report the sighting through the agency’s online manatee reporting database.
Wildlife biologists use those reports to track migration patterns, identify frequently visited waterways and support conservation efforts for the federally protected species.
Officials also remind the public that manatees should never be approached, fed or given fresh water.
Providing water—even from a garden hose—or food teaches the animals to seek out people, docks and boats, increasing the risk of deadly boat strikes. Harassing a manatee in any way is illegal under both state and federal law.
Boaters can help protect the animals by wearing polarized sunglasses to better see below the water’s surface, checking around their boat before starting the engine and remaining alert in shallow water, marshes and near docks where manatees are known to travel.
SCDNR is also seeking suggestions for locations where additional “Caution: Manatees” signs could be installed to help warn boaters in areas where the animals are frequently spotted.
Anyone who sees an injured, sick or deceased manatee, or witnesses someone harassing one, should contact the SCDNR Wildlife Hotline at 1-800-922-5431 immediately. Residents can also report healthy manatee sightings through the agency’s online reporting system to help biologists monitor the animals during their summer stay in South Carolina.
