Every once in a while, a manatee, being nearsighted, will bump into someone swimming at an Anna Maria Island beach. After the panicky cries of “shark” die down, swimmers have lifetime bragging rights to the story of their encounter with the endangered sea cow.

But encounters with boats are dangerous, and often deadly, to manatees, which prompted former Florida Gov. Bob Graham to make November Manatee Awareness Month in 1979.

Florida’s official state marine mammal, manatees are related to the elephant, and like elephants, they don’t like the cold. While we’re enjoying cooler fall temperatures, water temps also are dropping, spurring manatees to head from rivers, bays and the Gulf of Mexico to the warmer winter waters of springs.

Last year, 18 manatees died of cold stress in Florida last year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Boat collisions were an even bigger threat, killing 86 manatees. So far this year, 91 manatees have been killed by boaters in Florida.

Since manatees are covering more ground than usual this time of year, their chances of contact with boats increases.

To help protect them, follow these tips:

• Obey posted signs for manatee slow-speed zones.

• Wear polarized sunglasses to see manatees in your path.

• If you observe a manatee mating herd – several manatees gathered as males vie to mate with a female – watch from at least 100 feet away. Coming any closer might disrupt the mating or endanger you; adult manatees typically weigh more than 1,000 pounds.

• Never feed or water manatees as they will become habituated to people, which could put them at risk of injury.

• Stow trash and line when underway. Marine debris that blows overboard can become ingested by or entangled around manatees.

Contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922):

• If you see a manatee with a pink or red (fresh) wound;

• If the manatee is tilting to one side, unable to submerge or seems to have trouble breathing;

• If you see a manatee calf by itself with no adults around for an extended period of time;

• If you see anyone harassing a manatee in any way;

• If you see boaters speeding in a protected area;

• If you see a manatee entangled in monofilament, crab-trap lines or other debris;

• If you see a dead manatee.

For free shoreline property signs, boating banners, decals, waterway cards and educational posters from Save the Manatee Club – e-mail education@savethemanatee.org or call 1-800-432-5646.