A rare manatee sighting temporarily stopped construction at the Port Aransas ferry project for environmental protection.

PORT ARANSAS, Texas — A rare manatee sighting briefly halted construction at the Texas Department of Transportation’s Port Aransas ferry project, with the agency citing its commitment to both safety and environmental stewardship.


Protecting people and wildlife

TxDOT said its top priority is the safety of the public, contractors, and employees, but that protecting wildlife is also part of its mission.

The agency said has built dozens of wildlife crossings along highways to safeguard ocelots and other animals, and added “bat houses” under bridges to provide safe roosting spaces for nocturnal insect-eaters.

“The safety of the public, our contractors, and TxDOT employees is always our top priority,” said Mike Walsh, TxDOT district engineer in Corpus Christi. “But protecting wildlife near our projects is also critical.”

TxDOT Pauses Construction to Protect Manatee pic.twitter.com/S6DbrdafLD

— TxDOT Corpus Christi (@TxDOT_Corpus) September 2, 2025


$64 million ferry project

TxDOT is in the midst of a $64 million project to upgrade the Port Aransas ferry system’s ramps and landings.

During the project, construction crews spotted a West Indian manatee in the waters adjacent to the site. The endangered and federally protected animals are rarely seen in Texas waters, though sightings have been reported in recent months. Manatees are known to migrate from Mexico and Florida during the summer.


Quick action by crews

Before work began, TxDOT educated construction personnel about how to identify and report manatees and other protected wildlife. When the manatee was spotted, Russell Marine crews immediately reported the sighting, and construction was paused during the animal’s short visit.

The manatee showed no signs of distress and remained near the ferry operations for several hours before moving west along the shoreline toward Corpus Christi Bay. Once the animal left, construction safely resumed.

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