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: manatee
The Gentle Giant Of The Sea Is Now Declared Functionally Extinct In China
Dugongs are now declared as functionally extinct in China, scientists said in a study published last month. More commonly known as “sea cows,” dugongs are graceful creatures that graze on sea grasses in shallow coastal waters in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. These creatures, along with the similar-looking manatees, are also believed to be […]
Man had arm bitten off in alligator attack before getting lost in wilderness for 3 days
A man in Florida had his arm bitten off by an alligator while swimming across a lake, then spent three days lost in the wilderness. Incredibly Eric Merda, who was attacked by the reptile at Lake Manatee Fish Camp in Myakka City survived the traumatic experience. Out of hospital, and adjusting to life with one […]
Tico the Manatee Rescued After Epic Journey of 2,500 Miles
Nearly two months after a manatee named Tico was released from a rehabilitation facility and made his way into the deep waters of the open ocean, an international team of volunteers was delighted when he was found after traveling nearly 2,500 miles, reported The Australian. After being released into the wild by Brazilian NGO Aquasis […]
Marine Animals Found on California Beaches with Signs of Domoic Acid Poisoning
Dozens of marine animals in California are being found on beaches with signs of poisoning. The animals appear disoriented and agitated, with their heads bobbing and their mouths foaming. Officials first became concerned in mid-August when sea lions, mostly adult females, were appearing on the southern California coast with signs of poisoning. “We are responding […]
Dugongs (Related to Manatees) Declared Functionally Extinct in China
The human imagination once transformed dugongs into mermaids. But now, human activity is pushing the gentle marine mammals into the realm of the imagination in a more sinister way. A new study published in Royal Society Open Science Wednesday found that the dugong (dugong dugon) is “functionally extinct” in Chinese waters. “The likely disappearance of […]
Manatee death toll in past dozen years equals current population
Florida’s 7,444 recorded manatees deaths in the last dozen years nearly matches the number thought to be surviving today. In 2010, state officials tallied 766 mortalities, topping 500 in a year for the first time since records began nearly 50 years ago. Since then, most years have seen counts above 500, including last year’s record […]
562 Florida manatees have died this year already – but a lawsuit offers hope
Following legal pressure from environmental groups, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has agreed to update important habitat safeguards for manatees, as the animals continue to die in record numbers. Last year, more than 1,000 manatees perished in Florida, accounting for more than 10% of the state’s population and making it the bloodiest year […]