Watch for more marine life as waterways warm up, JU’s Quinton White says in “River Life” column

As temperatures rise, it’s time to be aware of more marine life in our waterways, JU Marine Science Research Institute Executive Director Quinton White says in his Friday, May 24, Florida Times-Union “River Life” column.

“With spring we begin to see the water warm up and a variety of marine life return,” he writes in the regular monthly feature. “Manatees and dolphins are seen swimming in the tea-stained waters, and more people want to get out and enjoy the river.”

Here’s a bit more from the column:

With about 75 square miles of water and more than 1,100 miles of shoreline in Jacksonville, we are blessed with an abundance of opportunities for fishing, water skiing, tubing or just cruising.

We can also share the waterways with all the other animals that live there, too. Manatees and dolphins are mammals that must be at the surface to breathe. That puts them in danger of being hit by a boat. So, please slow down in shallow water or in manatee zones, wear polarized sunglasses and watch for the telltale swirl of water as they dive.

To read all of River Life, click here.