A top researcher at Blue Spring State Park believes the manatees are making a comeback, recording as many as 277 on Monday, but boaters and manatee protection groups differ on whether or not the sea cow should be taken off the endangered species list.
Glen Rugar says he frequently makes the drive from Ormond Beach to watch the slow-moving manatees at Blue Spring State Park, in Orange City.
Rugar and researchers like Ranger Wayne Hartley are seeing the number of manatees going up.
"Friday I did 365," said Hartley, adding the highest he's counted was 367 just last year.
Hartley said he even came across a manatee named Gordon, born at Blue Spring in 1999.
Manatees are on the Federal Endangered Species List, with just over 4,000 of them across Florida, and Hartley believes they should remain protected.
Hartley said the sea cows are making a strong comeback at Blue Spring, but they're having a hard time in other parts of the state.
"The ones that are in the most trouble are in South Florida and the East Coast," Hartley explained. "Those are the ones you have to watch — the Indian River Lagoon, the red tide, and so on."
Manatees come to Blue Spring, because the water temperature there holds steady at a constant 72 degrees.
But some groups — mostly boaters — disagree with manatee protection advocates, citing the rising sea cow numbers.
"I think that there's enough of them that they could be taken off the list," said Rugar.
Until the sea cow is removed from the endangered species list, Hartley said he will continue counting manatees and greeting old friends like Gordon every year.