Q: Can we see manatees in the Panama City area in August? Or the Pensacola area? -- Patrick

A: Manatees are somewhat migratory. In August and other warm-weather months, the temperature is warm enough for these endangered mammals to swim in the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, where they typically feed in shallow seagrass beds. It's possible to spot manatees around saltwater or brackish-water docks and in shallow mangrove areas at this time of year.

In the cooler months, the ocean gets too cold for manatees, so they look for warmer waters. They typically come to inland Florida waters via rivers and canals. At this time of year, many manatees congregate in warm springs like those at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, springs along the Suwannee River, up and down the St. Johns River (especially Blue Spring State Park) and even at power plants.

In fact, it's possible to find manatees at power plants almost any time of the year, although their numbers certainly are far fewer in the summer. Power plants discharge warm water, which attracts manatees. Some power plants have manatee-observation areas; others are off-limits due to security concerns.

So if you are going to be in Panama City and Pensacola -- or anywhere else in Florida -- in August, and you want to see a manatee, hang out at a dock around one of the bays or ask a local guide to take you to a nearby shallow saltwater area where manatees might find food. In the cooler months (roughly November through February), look for manatees around springs and power plants as mentioned above. There's no guarantee that you'll see a manatee, however -- no more a guarantee than if you'd go looking for any of the other endangered species that live in Florida. The best place to see manatees year-round in a natural setting is at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where a handful of recuperating manatees live.

When observing manatees, be sure to follow federal guidelines for watching manatees.

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