Here’s the latest on the storm.

As a rare Southeastern winter storm gripped the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, experts said that while some wildlife, like alligators, can adapt to the extreme cold, the longer a cold spell, the more hazardous it can be, particularly for marine life.

That was the case for the 60 to 70 manatees huddling together in the spring waters of the Wakulla Springs State Park, near Tallahassee, Fla., as snow and sleet fell on Tuesday. Many manatees died during a 2010 freeze.

Scott Rylance, a senior maintenance mechanic at the park, said the coldblooded gators who live there also escape the bitter cold by hunkering down in warm spring waters.

“It could be 10 degrees out here, and that water is still going to be 70 degrees,” said Mr. Rylance, who was running the ranger station.

Alligators, which generally slow down in winter, adapt to cold weather by seeking heat in the water, said Frank J. Mazzotti, a professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Florida. Even if ice covers a body of water, gators can survive in the water below, sometimes by sticking their snouts through the ice to breathe, he said.

“It’s like having a snorkel,” Dr. Mazzotti said.

Manatees may head to warm spring waters, but prolonged exposure to extreme weather can be deadly, Dr. Mazzotti said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warned that sea turtles can become “cold-stunned” when water temperatures drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

“Cold-stunned sea turtles might float listlessly in the water, on or near shore,” the agency said, advising residents to report any injured, distressed or dead sea turtles.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries also warned that the cold blast may result in potential fish kill in the state’s coastal areas because of freezing water temperatures. The spotted seatrout and red drum, both coastal species, can experience problems when the water temperatures dip below certain levels, Jason Adriance, a fisheries biologist with the department, said in news release earlier this month.

“The rate at which the water cools is also important,” Mr. Adriance said. “If fish have a chance to acclimate and move, the potential for survival is higher.”

One of the biggest threats wildlife face during bouts of extreme weather is from people concerned about the animals’ survival, said Tommy Tuma, a wildlife administrator with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

For example, residents may see more wildlife out searching for food underneath the snow and want to help, Mr. Tuma said. But Mr. Tuma and the department warned residents against taking in wild animals during the storm. Wild animals are intuitive, he said, and they can detect when a weather event is imminent.

“They know it’s coming, and they know how to deal with this kind of stuff,” he said.