Florida manatees that fail to reach warm water refuges during cold snaps suffer cold stress syndrome, a potentially fatal condition requiring rescue.
Manatees experiencing cold stress show lethargy, difficulty swimming, and progressive systemic failure. Cold stress syndrome causes significant suffering in affected individuals and is responsible for significant annual mortality. The dependence on artificial warm water refuges created by power plants has made manatees vulnerable to infrastructure changes. Natural warm spring refuges need protection and artificial refuges require management planning.