Manatees Arrive Early to Laurel Lake

Laurel Lake's first manatees of the summer showed up three weeks earlier than ever recorded, conservationists from the Maryland Fish and Game Commission reported today. Two manatees were spotted under the dock at Laurel Lake boathouse on Tuesday, April 23.

The previous earliest Laurel Lake sighting, in 2019, was on May 14. Scientists say accelerated global warming and a mild winter prompted the manatees, also know as sea cows, to begin their northward migration prematurely this year.

Sea cows enjoy warm water, and typically winter in Florida. However, it’s not uncommon to see manatees off the Mid-Atlantic coast as they migrate along the shoreline in the spring and summertime.

The first reported manatee sighting in Laurel Lake was in 2015. Manatees migrating up the Chesapeake travel through Rock Creek tributaries until they reach Bear Branch at the western tip of Laurel Lake.

Manatees’ smooth gray bodies and subtle movements make them difficult to spot underwater. "Most people, when they’re out on the water with recreational boats, they go too fast. By the time you notice that you’re on top of a manatee, it’s too late,” says Laurel Lake boathouse manager Bishop Snooty.

If you do spot a manatee, keep your distance, and don’t feed the wildlife. Snooty said sightings have become so common that reports to the Maryland Fish and Game Commission are not needed.