• A young Florida manatee nurses its mother as others loll nearby in Florida's Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. (nwf.org)
  • In 1983, FWS created the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge , a series of warm, freshwater springs that has become the largest winter preserve for manatees on Florida's Gulf Coast. (nwf.org)
  • A rescue team freed 19 manatees found trapped in a storm drain system at Florida's Satellite Beach, officials said early Tuesday. (thedailybeast.com)
  • Especially hard hit is the Indian River Lagoon, an estuary spanning 156 miles of Florida's eastern coast that draws many manatees and is home to commercial and recreational fisheries. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Florida's manatees gently glide through the state's rivers and along coastal beaches like great grey footballs, endearing themselves to residents and tourists alike. (theepochtimes.com)
  • Florida's waterways are home to a charismatic mammal: the manatee. (sciencefriday.com)
  • CN) -- More manatees died in the first half of 2021 than in any other year in Florida's recorded history, according to Sunshine State wildlife officials who say the unprecedented number of deaths stem from seagrass loss, pollution and boat strikes. (courthousenews.com)
  • Conflicting estimates put Florida's manatee population between 6,300 and 7,500. (courthousenews.com)
  • The significant improvement in manatee and bald eagle numbers reflects ongoing success achieved under recent changes in Florida's species listing process. (heartland.org)
  • A pair of manatees in Florida's Crystal River. (atlasobscura.com)
  • The nearly two dozen releases so far this year represent a rare bright spot as an unprecedented die-off of Florida's manatees continues. (atlasobscura.com)
  • The calamity prompted wildlife agencies to go as far as to provide supplemental lettuce for starving manatees in the Indian River Lagoon, a crucial manatee habitat on Florida's east coast where water quality problems have led to a widespread loss of seagrass, the sea cows' favorite food. (atlasobscura.com)
  • Releasing manatees back into the wild is a team effort at Florida's Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. (atlasobscura.com)
  • The releases also come as things may be looking up for Florida's manatees. (atlasobscura.com)
  • More manatees have died already in 2021 than in any other year in Florida's recorded history, primarily from starvation due to the loss of seagrass beds. (kunc.org)
  • Unprecedented manatee mortality due to starvation was documented on the Atlantic coast this past winter and spring," Florida's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute wrote as it announced the record Friday. (kunc.org)
  • TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's beloved manatees are on the move looking for warmer waters, and state officials are warning boaters that the whiskered marine mammals can pose a hazard. (winknews.com)
  • The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris ) is a native species found in many of Florida's waterways. (myfwc.com)
  • Florida manatees are considered one of the state's keystone species whose behavior can alert researchers to the environmental and habitat changes that may otherwise go unnoticed in Florida's waterways for extended periods of time. (myfwc.com)
  • Families flock to Florida's gulf coast to swim with manatees in the Crystal River. (trekaroo.com)
  • There are several places along Florida's east and west coasts where you can see manatees from viewing platforms at parks and power plants in the winter, and many of these facilities are also a great place to learn about manatees. (savethemanatee.org)
  • This image from 1971, depicts a front view of the former Manatee Veterans Memorial Hospital, located in Bradenton, Florida. (cdc.gov)
  • To look for solutions, a partnership was formed in 2021 between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). (theepochtimes.com)
  • More manatees have died in the first six months of 2021 than in any other year on record, Florida wildlife authorities say. (courthousenews.com)
  • Manatees crowd together near the warm-water outflows from Florida Power & Light's plant in Riviera Beach, Fla., on Feb. 5, 2021. (courthousenews.com)
  • Bianca was a mere calf when she was rescued in 2021 from Florida 's ailing Indian River Lagoon. (atlasobscura.com)
  • Nearly 2,000 manatee deaths were recorded statewide in 2021 and 2022-a two-year record. (atlasobscura.com)
  • A record number of 1,101 manatees died in 2021. (fox17online.com)
  • By October 2021 alone, nearly 1,000 manatees have died from food scarcity. (ecowatch.com)
  • In 2018, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported 824 manatee deaths due to cold stress, boat strikes and a vast toxic algal bloom , or "red tide," that alone killed nearly 300 manatees. (nwf.org)
  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission marine biologist Ann Spellman asked city workers to check the drainage pipes Monday when the trapped manatees were first discovered. (thedailybeast.com)
  • Examinations of dead manatees this year showed that many had characteristics including empty guts, atrophied internal organs and body weights as much as 40% below normal, said Martine de Wit, a manatee veterinarian at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Through careful management of the manatee and its habitat, the Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have helped increase the animals' population, and there are now more than 6,000 manatees in Florida. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • At least 841 manatees died between Jan. 1 and July 2, according to a recent report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC. (courthousenews.com)
  • In March, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the spike in manatee deaths an "unusual mortality event" and, in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, announced a federal investigation into the cause of the deaths. (courthousenews.com)
  • In a move embodying the success of recent protection efforts and new state standards regarding species in decline, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously on June 7 to remove the manatee from the state's endangered species list. (heartland.org)
  • Martine de Wit is a veterinarian for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (winknews.com)
  • That's how much food manatees have been able to feast on since the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission started its manatee feeding program in January. (fox17online.com)
  • The Lee County Sheriff's Office's marine unit along with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to help the animal. (abc-7.com)
  • The state says efforts to protect the watery beasts have helped: aerial counts by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show numbers are up around the state. (winknews.com)
  • About 350 manatees are coming to eat the vegetables every day at a temporary field response station in Cape Canaveral as part of a program launched earlier this year by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (zmescience.com)
  • Over 1,000 manatees died in Florida last year, according to the state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (zmescience.com)
  • Pursuant to section 120.74, Florida Statutes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has published its 2022 Agency Regulatory Plan . (myfwc.com)
  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is asking for another $7 million for seagrass restoration and manatee rehabilitation centers. (ecowatch.com)
  • In addition, the webcams allow them to monitor sick or injured manatees - valuable information that they can share with partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for evaluation and potential rescue. (savethemanatee.org)
  • But now, when ocean temperatures dip below 68 degrees, waterways on the state's Atlantic coast have become nightmarish for the thousands of manatees seeking refuge from the cold there. (theepochtimes.com)
  • While threats to manatees are not new, this accelerated die-off concerns scientists, and is prompting a search for novel ways to help the Sunshine State's sea cows. (sciencefriday.com)
  • The effect of the reclassification is to list manatees accurately within the state's species listing criteria. (heartland.org)
  • Sometimes they're able to attract up to 800 manatees to the feeding site located at a Florida Power & Light plant on the state's east coast. (fox17online.com)
  • That would reverse the agency's 2017 decision to downgrade the manatee to threatened-a move he and numerous environmental groups criticized as premature at the time. (foxbusiness.com)
  • The Florida decision to downgrade the manatee from "endangered" to "threatened" will not result in any reduction in the level of protection afforded manatees, according to the commission. (heartland.org)
  • Today, roughly 8,000 manatees navigate Florida waters. (nwf.org)
  • Tourists and locals converge on inland waterways during winter, donning dive gear and plunging into chilly waters when manatees migrate inland in massive numbers each year. (theepochtimes.com)
  • Despite this both the Service and Army Corps of Engineers continue to authorize construction of thousands of projects that facilitate increased watercraft access to Florida waters. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • Manatee researchers Wayne Hartley and Cora Berchem, with the Save the Manatee Club, compile data on manatees as they congregate during the winter months in the warm waters of Blue Springs State Park, Florida. (sciencefriday.com)
  • They are dying off in record numbers because we humans have made Florida waters inhospitable to them. (zmescience.com)
  • Manatees live in warm waters. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • Manatees are large, slow-moving animals that frequent coastal waters and rivers. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • For the ninth time in 2023, an endangered Florida panther was killed in a vehicle collision on Monday. (winknews.com)
  • Eight cases of locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted (i.e., autochthonous) Plasmodium vivax malaria, which has not been reported in the United States since 2003, were reported to CDC from state health departments in Florida and Texas during May 18-July 17, 2023. (medscape.com)
  • Thanks to the safety net of the Endangered Species Act, broad public support and conservation efforts by the state, manatee numbers have improved over the past few decades," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • We've sunk to a new low, setting a new record for annual manatee deaths, and it is only July," Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said in an email Monday. (courthousenews.com)
  • Florida manatees desperately need us to help them by cleaning up and protecting their habitat," Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, told The Associated Press . (ecowatch.com)
  • Last month, U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D., Fla.) and Brian Mast (R., Fla.) introduced legislation to protect manatees and other marine mammals by increasing federal funding for local rescue and rehabilitation efforts. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Manatees never leave the water but, like all marine mammals, they must breathe air at the surface. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • Decades ago, extinction loomed for these gentle marine mammals in Florida. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it is downlisting the Florida manatee from "endangered" to "threatened" - despite hundreds of manatees still dying each year from boat strikes, habitat loss and other causes. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • With hundreds of manatees starving to death on the east coast, and dozens more on the west coast dead from suspected red tide exposure, this should be the only wake-up call we need to start getting serious about our water pollution problem. (courthousenews.com)
  • Cora Berchem, staff member with the Save The Manatee Club, assists with a manatee rescue in Florida. (sciencefriday.com)
  • Opening the stretcher and seeing her slowly swim out of it and exploring the natural environment for the very first time here at Blue Spring-it's just amazing," said Cora Berchem, manatee research associate at the Save the Manatee Club, who helped carry Bianca into the warm water near sunrise at Blue Spring State Park, north of Orlando . (atlasobscura.com)
  • Wayne Hartley, SMC's Manatee Specialist and Cora Berchem, SMC Director of Multimedia & Manatee Research Associate, monitor the manatees at Blue Spring State Park. (savethemanatee.org)
  • In June, Florida Governor Ron Desantis said he would not declare a state of emergency to help restore the Indian River Lagoon. (courthousenews.com)
  • Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not agreed to relist them, but has proposed a $3.8 million aid package instead. (ecowatch.com)
  • Wild manatees gather in a Brevard County, Fla., waterway near a Florida Power and Light power plant to eat lettuce thrown to them by scientists on Feb. 4, 2022. (theepochtimes.com)
  • They started trying to feed the wild manatees. (theepochtimes.com)
  • And scientists say they're thankful to be learning lessons that will help them feed wild manatees next winter too. (theepochtimes.com)
  • The above- and underwater webcams, a joint project of Explore.org and Save the Manatee Club (SMC), show wild manatees seeking refuge at these protected warm water sites, and the public can enjoy them seven days a week on ManaTV.org with pre-recorded highlights playing during the nighttime hours. (savethemanatee.org)
  • Boat strikes have also killed at least 63 manatees this year, up from the five-year average of 60 watercraft-related deaths. (courthousenews.com)
  • If we make an investment to improve water quality that will allow seagrass to recover," says Jessica Bibza of the National Wildlife Federation's Gulf Restoration Program , "we'll increase food and habitat for manatees for a long time to come. (nwf.org)
  • Plus, you can learn about Blue Spring State Park and why it is vital habitat for manatees. (savethemanatee.org)
  • The Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting an assessment of the manatees that is expected to be completed in 2022 and will inform the next review of the animals' status, an agency spokesman said. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Manatees flock to warm-water areas of Florida to escape deadly-cold water temperatures off the Atlantic Coast on Feb. 4, 2022. (theepochtimes.com)
  • On March 30, 2022, the State Board of Education approved revisions to Rule 6A-10.02413, Florida Administrative Code, Civic Literacy Competency. (scf.edu)
  • Manatee adoptee Annie made a visit to Blue Spring on November 4, 2020. (savethemanatee.org)
  • As of Jan. 28, 97 manatees had died this year, with 64 in Brevard County, the epicenter of the starvation crisis. (theepochtimes.com)
  • Now, trucks hauling lettuce are delivering about 2,500 pounds daily to an area set up for feeding the animals at a Florida Power and Light natural gas power plant in Brevard County. (theepochtimes.com)
  • More than 150 manatees have died in Brevard County since 2012, when an algae bloom wiped out the sea grass that manatees eat. (winknews.com)
  • BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - 25 tons of lettuce. (fox17online.com)
  • FONDLY KNOWN AS "SEA COWS," Florida manatees, a subspecies of West Indian manatees , graze on seagrass beds off the eastern and southern U.S. coasts. (nwf.org)
  • Jimmy Buffett co-founded the Save the Manatee Club, an organization whose mission is to protect the imperiled sea cows and their habitat. (winknews.com)
  • Manatees are sometimes called sea cows, and their languid pace lends merit to the comparison. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • Protecting and restoring Gulf habitat will help manatees survive in a changing climate. (nwf.org)
  • Protecting and restoring habitat, such as reestablishing natural water flow through the Everglades , would help manatees survive environmental change. (nwf.org)
  • There are about 7,500 manatees in Florida , according to the commission, in some cases concentrated in areas that are a big tourist attraction. (zmescience.com)
  • Manatee populations are estimated at 7,500 to 10,200 around Florida. (ecowatch.com)
  • Underwater photograph of manatees taken near Blue Springs State Park in Florida (photo courtesy of the Save the Manatee Club). (foxbusiness.com)
  • Members of the Save The Manatee Club perform a health assessment on a manatee. (sciencefriday.com)
  • Learn more about the Save The Manatee Club . (sciencefriday.com)
  • Joining me today are my guests Patrick Rose, executive director of the Save the Manatee Club in Maitland, Florida, and Cynthia Stringfield, senior vice president of animal health, conservation, and education at Zoo Tampa in Tampa, Florida. (sciencefriday.com)
  • Dr. Gunnels said everyone can help save the manatee. (nbc-2.com)
  • Next time you renew your tag, consider a "Save the Manatee" license plate! (nbc-2.com)
  • Support manatees and their habitat by purchasing a "Save the Manatee" license plate. (myfwc.com)
  • If you are visiting Florida and are out on the waterways, Save the Manatee Club recommends passive observation or viewing from a distance as the best way to protect manatees and all other wildlife. (savethemanatee.org)
  • Save the Manatee Club's Guardian Guides Certification is a new and growing voluntary program for ecotourism providers in Florida that promotes stewardship of manatees and their aquatic ecosystems. (savethemanatee.org)
  • The manatees are used to nibbling on slim delicately undulating seagrasses underwater and don't recognize floating heads of lettuce as food. (theepochtimes.com)
  • That could be because the agencies' lettuce program is helping, but it also could be because the die-off has reached a point where there are fewer manatees left to die. (atlasobscura.com)
  • So as a last ditch effort, state officials have started feeding manatees with lettuce. (zmescience.com)
  • But as the state developed, water quality declined, degrading seagrass habitat, and boat strikes killed increasing numbers of manatees, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed as endangered in 1973. (nwf.org)
  • U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican whose district near Tampa Bay includes Manatee County, called last week for the Fish and Wildlife Service to upgrade the mammal to endangered from threatened. (foxbusiness.com)
  • It's the cold that complicates matters for manatees, and as temperatures dip, wildlife authorities predict deaths will go up. (theepochtimes.com)
  • Unprecedented manatee mortality due to starvation was documented on the Atlantic coast this past winter and spring," the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, a division of the FWC, wrote in an addendum to its most recent manatee mortality report. (courthousenews.com)
  • Elizabeth Fleming, senior Florida representative at Defenders of Wildlife, said Monday that annual mortality events affecting manatees and other species are likely to continue to occur without more environmental oversight in Florida. (courthousenews.com)
  • Many of the sick and injured manatees rescued during this time now are ready to be released, and the wildlife agencies acknowledge they are eager for the bed space, so to speak, as the habitat problems that have contributed to the die-off will not be resolved anytime soon. (atlasobscura.com)
  • The number of deaths this winter is down, an encouraging sign for the cold-sensitive animals, and the wildlife agencies say manatees in the wild appear to be in better health and less emaciated. (atlasobscura.com)
  • Call FWC's Wildlife Alert toll-free number: 1-888-404-FWCC (1-888-404-3922) or #FWC on a cellphone if you see a sick, injured, dead or tagged manatee. (nbc-2.com)
  • The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that 841 manatee deaths were recorded between Jan. 1 and July 2, breaking the previous record of 830 that died in 2013 because of an outbreak of toxic red tide. (kunc.org)
  • MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) - Wildlife officials say more manatees have died in a Florida lagoon plagued by algae and pollution. (winknews.com)
  • This September, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced plans to significantly limit the number of tour operator permits issued, require trained guides to accompany a maximum of five "swim-with" visitors, prohibit diving and use of fins, and enact other measures for the largest warm water habitat for the manatees - the Three Sisters Springs Unit of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. (peer.org)
  • The organization, along with other conservation groups, are planning to sue U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more manatee protections. (ecowatch.com)
  • Sarasota County joined AARP and the World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities in early 2015 - the first community in Florida to do so. (who.int)
  • Age-Friendly Sarasota is a partnership between AARP Florida, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging at the University of South Florida, Sarasota County Government, The Patterson Foundation and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. (who.int)
  • Officials said the feeding program has attracted about 300 to 350 manatees per day. (fox17online.com)
  • It remains a crime for a person to feed manatees on their own, although officials say many people want to help. (fox17online.com)
  • So far there have been 91 reported manatee deaths this year from boat strikes, and officials want boaters to slow down and keep an eye out. (winknews.com)
  • While the pilot program takes place, officials are asking people not to feed manatees on their own and instead donate money and report any sick manatees . (zmescience.com)
  • Florida and U.S. government officials have started restoration projects for manatee habitats with $8 million in approved funding so far. (ecowatch.com)
  • Most deaths occurred during the colder months when manatees migrated to and through the Indian River Lagoon where the majority of seagrass has died off. (courthousenews.com)
  • The Orlando Sentinel quotes him as saying eight manatees have died in the Indian River Lagoon since May. (winknews.com)
  • A 2014 Center for Biological Diversity report found at least 668 manatees died from collisions with boats in Florida between 2008 and 2014. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • Rapid development of Manatee County in southwest Florida is creating water-resource problems. (usgs.gov)
  • A severe storm warning has been issued for parts of Southwest Florida counties for Tuesday afternoon into the early evening. (winknews.com)
  • That's why Dr. Rodriguez can let him stay in a tank with an adolescent orphan female manatee named Glade. (nymag.com)
  • FWC biologists determined the female manatee had an internal injury, which was causing it to stay on the surface of the water, according to Lee County deputies. (abc-7.com)
  • An organization he heads, the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County, joined other groups earlier this month to urge Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency for the lagoon. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Florida manatees are dying at a record pace, prompting a federal investigation and calls to relist the aquatic mammals as endangered. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Manatees are aquatic mammals with voracious appetites-spending up to 8 hours a day grazing. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • Florida first protected the animals in 1893 by prohibiting manatee hunting. (nwf.org)
  • Florida manatees were first protected through Florida State Law in 1893. (myfwc.com)
  • Workers at the plant told U.S. Fish and Wildlife's manatee rescue program when he resurfaced, and they brought in a massive multi-agency rescue that included the Point Pleasant Dive and Rescue Team, who wrestled with the net underwater. (nymag.com)
  • Finishing graduate school, we packed up everything- and I would like to relate the first part of a manatee I saw underwater was a scar. (sciencefriday.com)
  • Manatees are born underwater. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • The FWC report points out that the long-term health effects of prolonged starvation in manatees that survived this year's mortality event is not yet known. (courthousenews.com)
  • Some rescued manatees are near death when they arrive at facilities like SeaWorld, and the recovery from starvation is much longer than that for other problems like red tide. (atlasobscura.com)
  • But the work isn't happening quickly enough, and more manatees are expected to die of starvation over the upcoming winter. (ecowatch.com)
  • Indeed manatee mortality from all sources has increased since 1973, and threats restrict the animals' ability to truly recover from being threatened with extinction. (biologicaldiversity.org)
  • Boat strikes are also a major cause of manatee deaths, killing at least 63 this year. (kunc.org)
  • Ilya, the manatee who swam to Cape Cod this summer, then prompted an October 27 rescue when he stalled in New York Harbor, is recovering nicely in the Miami Seaquarium and should be able to get back to the wild in three or four weeks, says his vet, Dr. Maya Rodriguez. (nymag.com)
  • Even more manatees were released this week in Crystal River and Apollo Beach, both near Tampa . (atlasobscura.com)
  • A family watches manatees in an exhibit that doubles as a rehabilitation facility at ZooTampa at Lowry Park in Florida. (theepochtimes.com)
  • Joining guest host Miles O'Brien to talk about manatee conservation in Florida are Patrick Rose, executive director of Save the Manatees Club in Maitland, Florida, and Cynthia Stringfield, senior vice president of animal health, conservation and education at ZooTampa in Tampa, Florida. (sciencefriday.com)
  • Cynthia Stringfield is Senior Vice President of Animal Health, Conservation and Education at ZooTampa in Tampa, Florida. (sciencefriday.com)
  • The manatee is on its way to ZooTampa at Lowry Park for rehabilitation, Lee County deputies said. (abc-7.com)
  • FWC is investigating a high level of manatee mortalities and responding to manatee rescues along the central and south Atlantic coast of Florida. (myfwc.com)
  • This year's total is slated to double 2020's rate of manatee mortalities, which hit 593. (ecowatch.com)
  • Manatees were listed as endangered from 1966 to 2016. (ecowatch.com)
  • Spared from impacts of the BP oil spill, manatees represent a long-term conservation success-though one that needs vigilant care to maintain. (nwf.org)
  • Today, we talked to two people who are deep in the world of manatee conservation in Florida to find out why this is happening and what can be done to reverse this loss. (sciencefriday.com)
  • In April 2005, seeking to ensure listing decisions are made according to science rather than emotional public relations campaigns, Florida scrapped its preexisting, subjective listing process and enacted standards closely mirroring those of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (heartland.org)
  • Show your support for manatee conservation by proudly displaying a manatee decal. (nbc-2.com)
  • Climate change and resulting storms and sea-level rise also threaten manatee habitat by damaging seagrass beds, tainting freshwater springs and potentially forcing power plants-which provide warm-water havens-to relocate away from the coasts. (nwf.org)
  • We found Hayward Baker to be a quality partner in this endeavor," said Mark Simpson, Manatee County Water Division Manager. (prweb.com)
  • Manatees are known to move to beachside canals when water temperatures drop, as they recently had in Central Florida, Spellman said. (thedailybeast.com)
  • Manatees have been wandering increasingly farther away from Florida in recent years, but they migrate back in winter because they need water above 68 degrees to avoid cold stress. (nymag.com)
  • At the heart of the problem is deteriorating water quality that has depleted the seagrasses that manatees eat, researchers say. (foxbusiness.com)
  • If we can get the endangered designation back, we can get more funding for manatees and water quality in general. (foxbusiness.com)
  • Young manatees can become separated from their mothers during stormy weather, as they may not be strong enough to fight strong currents in the water," the group said. (kpax.com)
  • So relaxed," she said of the manatees in the warm water canal. (nbc-2.com)
  • Boaters will find them easier to spot if they wear polarized sunglasses and keep a lookout for signs of manatees such as the circular "footprints" they trace on the top of the water or their snouts sticking up out the water. (nbc-2.com)
  • FWC and deputies on scene were able to get the 1,200 pound, 10-foot manatee to a boat, where they hoisted it out of the water. (abc-7.com)
  • After reviewing public comments, the Service decided that its original plan did not do enough to protect the manatees and announced further restrictions on November 10th, including reducing the maximum number of visitors allowed in the water at any one time and other control measures. (peer.org)
  • The cold hard fact is: Florida is at a water quality and climate crossroads, and manatees are our canary in the coal mine," said J.P. Brooker, Florida director for the Ocean Conservancy environmental group, in an opinion piece . (zmescience.com)
  • Polluted water runoff from agriculture and sewage is causing algae blooms in estuaries, which affect the seagrass that the manatees rely on. (zmescience.com)
  • The cold hard fact is: Florida is at a water quality and climate crossroads, and manatees are our canary in the coal mine," J.P. Brooker, Florida director for the Ocean Conservancy, said in The Invading Sea . (ecowatch.com)
  • So the manatees return to the area each winter to enjoy the springs fed warm water. (trekaroo.com)
  • However, manatees are more closely related to an elephant than any water-dwelling mammal. (trekaroo.com)
  • Cooler weather has arrived in Florida, and manatees have started to visit warm water sites around the state. (savethemanatee.org)
  • Manatees need these warm water areas to survive. (savethemanatee.org)
  • Manatees cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 ° C (68 ° F) for long periods of time, so they migrate to warm water sources such as freshwater springs or warm water effluents of power plants. (savethemanatee.org)
  • You can also rent a kayak and head out on the water or take a guided ecotour to see manatees. (savethemanatee.org)
  • Always remember that warm water areas are vital for manatee survival in the winter, and they may leave if they are disturbed. (savethemanatee.org)
  • More than half the manatee deaths this year occurred in the five counties the lagoon borders, state data shows. (foxbusiness.com)
  • The program combines coursework at SCF with selected clinical experiences in Manatee and Sarasota counties. (scf.edu)
  • We also thank the Mote Marine Laboratory and the lifeguards of Sarasota and Manatee counties. (cdc.gov)
  • support FWC manatee rescues and research. (nbc-2.com)
  • After a long recovery at SeaWorld she finally swam back into the wild, one of a huge number of rehabilitated manatees to be released this month in the state. (atlasobscura.com)
  • SeaWorld plans to double its rehabilitation space to accommodate more manatees. (atlasobscura.com)
  • These include zoos, marine aquariums, and the SeaWorld theme park in Florida. (zmescience.com)
  • Florida State Road 320 (Manatee Springs Road) runs through the southern part of the CDP, leading east to Chiefland and west to its end at Manatee Springs State Park. (wikipedia.org)
  • The Tallahassee Democrat reports that seasonal protection zones for manatees are going into effect on Tuesday, Nov. 15. (winknews.com)
  • Washington, DC - Industry pressure has blocked implementation of steps to protect endangered Florida manatees from harassment by "swim with the manatees" tourists, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). (peer.org)
  • Powering themselves with their strong tails, manatees typically glide along at 5 miles an hour but can swim 15 miles an hour in short bursts. (nationalgeographic.com)
  • As a result, hordes of swimmers may drive manatees from the warm spring refuges critical to their survival as winter nears. (peer.org)
  • Without it, the seagrass dies off, and the manatees are left with less and less food for their own survival. (ecowatch.com)
  • More than half of the manatees who died this year were found in the lagoon, a 156-mile-long estuary that links to the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the aquatic mammal's winter home. (courthousenews.com)
  • But parts of the lagoon are now choked with pollution and algae, which means seagrass can't grow and manatees can't eat. (zmescience.com)
  • Dr. Gunnels said that red tide, cold weather and reckless boaters are among the things that kill manatees. (nbc-2.com)
  • In recent years, algal blooms have broken out in many Florida waterways, fueled by nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus coming from improperly treated sewage, leaking septic tanks and fertilizer used for lawns and agriculture, researchers say. (foxbusiness.com)
  • We must reduce pollution in our waterways and invest in protecting and restoring vital habitat, such as the Great Florida Riverway. (courthousenews.com)