Crystal River is home to the only national wildlife refuge in the United States specifically created to protect habitats for Florida’s beloved official marine mammal, the Florida manatee.
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Location and Contact Information
To Report a Sick, Injured, Dead, Tagged, Orphaned or Distressed Manatee
Please report anymanatee, sea turtle, dolphin-related injuries or related crimes to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission wildlife emergency hotline: 1-888-404-3922.
Be prepared to provide information for the following questions:
- Is the manatee alive or dead?
- When did you see the manatee?
- What is the exact location of the manatee?
- How long have you observed the manatee?
- What is the approximate size of the manatee?
- What is the location of the public boat ramp closest to the manatee?
- Does the manatee have a “tag” attached near its tail?
- Can you provide a contact number where you can be reached for further information?
After contacting the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline, a manatee biologist will call you back to the number you provided. In the meantime, please take pictures and/or a video of the manatee to send to the biologist. This footage can assist in determining what is wrong with the manatee and/or to help identify the individual through any unique characteristics if it happens to leave the area prior to further evaluation of its condition.
Manatee Viewing Guidelines and Prohibitions
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service encourages passive observation, which means not initiating contact with manatees and calmly observing from a distance and at the surface.
The following activities are prohibited within all waters of Kings Bay, including Three Sisters Springs:
- Chasing or pursuing a manatee
- Disturbing or touching a resting* or feeding manatee
- Diving from the surface onto a resting or feeding manatee
- Cornering or surrounding a manatee
- Riding, holding, grabbing, pinching, poking, prodding, or stabbing a manatee with anything, including your hands and feet
- Standing on a manatee
- Separating a mother and calf or separating a group of manatees
- Giving manatee(s) anything to eat or drink
- Actively initiating contact with belted/tagged manatee(s)
- Interfering with rescue and research activities
About Us
Image Details
Crystal River National WildlifeRefuge, established in 1983,is the onlyrefugecreated specifically for the protection of the threatened Floridamanatee, a subspecies of the West Indianmanatee. This uniquerefugepreserves Three Sisters Springs, the last unspoiled and undeveloped spring habitat in Kings Bay.
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What We Do
Crystal River National WildlifeRefugeestablishes and maintains critical winter habitatfor the Floridamanatee,andprotects island habitat necessary for migratory and shore birds.
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Our Organization
RefugePurpose
Each unit of the National WildlifeRefugeSystem is established to serve a statutory purpose that targets the conservation of native species dependent on its lands and waters. All activities on those acres are reviewed for compatibility with this statutory purpose.
The purpose of therefugeis as follows:
- To protect threatened and endangered species, especially the WestIndianmanatee.
- To provide fish and wildlife-oriented recreationalopportunities.
- To protect natural resources.
- To conserve endangered and threatened species.
National Wildlife Refuge System
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
Program
Washington,DC
Our Species
The Floridamanatee(Trichechus manatuslatirostris) is a subspecies of the West Indianmanatee(Trichechus manatus manatus).
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Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildliferefuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community and fish and wildlife by doing what you love.
National wildliferefuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference.
Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying.
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Projects and Research
- ManateeProtection– Therefugestaffis in charge ofsetting up, monitoring and enforcing sevenmanateesanctuaries.
- Visitor Services– In addition to managingover 400,000 visitorson the water, therefugealsoprovides land-basedactivities.With the acquisition ofThree Sister Springs,wildlife observation and photography, interpretation and environmental education havebecome top priorities fortherefuge.
- ManateeRescues- Assisting injured and orphanedmanatees is another major role therefugestaff plays in Kings Bay year-round.
- Bird Survey-Therefugeperforms an annual bird count in earlyJanuary,andprovides bluebird nesting boxes around the Three Sisters Springs property.
- ManateeSurvey-Staff biologists flyover the Kings Bay area monthly tocountmanatees.
- ManateeHealth Assessment- Historically, therefuge has partnered with agencies to capturemanateesforhealth assessments. Data acquired during assessmentsprovides crucial information aboutmanateehealth and habits and allows researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the species.
- Carrying Compacity Study - Three Sisters Springs received large numbers of visitors over the last two years. The refuge is now conducting a study counting visitors, measuring turbidity, nitrogen and phosphorusin the springsduringselected times of the summer.
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