Manatees, the gentle giants commonly seen in Florida’s waterways, are once again facing challenges over the winter. It used to be due to unusually chilly cold snaps, but in recent years it’s had as much to do with food — or a lack of it. This is a creature who can’t ever seem to catch […]
Tag: florida manatees
Researchers unsure why Florida manatees are appearing in Mexico and Cuba
Several sightings of a manatee and her calf in a power plant intake canal near the Cuban town of Santa Cruz del Norte, about 33 miles (54 kilometers) east of Havana, occurred throughout the winter and spring of 2007. Manatees aren’t known to frequent the canals of Cuban power plants. This type of behavior is […]
As Seagrass Habitats Decline, Florida Manatees Are Dying Of Starvation
In Florida, wildlife managers and environmental groups are stunned by a record number of manatee deaths. More than 750 manatees have died since the beginning of the year, the most deaths ever recorded in a five month period. Most of the deaths are in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, where a large die-off of seagrass has […]
Florida Manatees Dying Due to Famine
A new report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) found that manatees are dying due to a seagrass famine. 739 manatee deaths have been recorded as of May 14. Last year, a total of 277 manatees were reported dead. The high for 2021 is already exceeded the five-year average, as well as […]
Petition: Hundreds of Manatees Have Died in 2021. Urge Florida to Protect the Ocean!
In 2021, over 540 Florida manatees have been found dead. In only three and a half months, the number has become dangerously close to 578, the average number of manatees that die per year. The Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events has classified the situation as an Unusual Mortality Event. Scientists are investigating […]
Red Tide Takes a Toll on Florida Manatees
Over the last two months, 180 manatees have been found dead along the coasts of Florida. The friendly and well-loved creatures of Florida’s waters are currently being threatened by an outbreak of red tide, an algal bloom which has proved to be toxic to the species. A harmful toxin in the algae enters the nervous […]