Manatee deaths continue to surge throughout Florida, predicting the deadliest decade for the species
As a common sight in Florida waterways, manatees are aquatic species that boaters are encouraged to look out for. Yet, only halfway into 2021, they risk facing their deadliest year in decades.
If these numbers continue to rise, the species could risk being put back on the endangered list, not solely because of boaters though. Although the cause is still undetermined, officials have an idea as to what is causing these mortality numbers to surpass over three times the normal rate.
Carli Segelson who is with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, specifically under Habitat and Species Conservation, said she cannot comment due to this being an ongoing investigation. However, she shared other resources provided by FWC.
According to the organization and their continuing investigation of the manatee mortality event, environmental factors could potentially be seen as strongly accountable for the deaths of manatees this year. FWC’s preliminary mortality table shows that over 674 manatees have died this year, 31 of these being watercraft-related.
“Environmental conditions in portions of the Indian River Lagoon remain a concern,” stated the FWC’s manatee mortality event page. “Preliminary information indicates that a reduction in food availability is a contributing factor.”
In order to stay healthy and well-nourished, manatees must have a daily consumption of seagrass that is equivalent to 10% of their body weight. Officials have gathered that many of these deaths could have resulted from starvation, due to a decrease in seagrass and macro-algae, two key components of a manatee’s diet.
Stacy Sanderlin, an environmental science major at Florida Gulf Coast University commented on the growing issue.
“Native grasses are manatee’s main diet. Unfortunately, native grasses are dying because they are being choked out by algae fed by fertilizer and nutrient runoff,” Sanderlin said.
A decline in these native seagrasses stems from a lack of sunlight, which stems from the algae blooms. These pockets of thick algae are formed from temperature changes and pollution in the waterways.
Both Sanderlin and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation resources touched on restoring the clarity and conditions of the water in which seagrass grows, which would encourage healthier growth of the native grasses.
Using fewer fertilizers and monitoring fecal coliform can help because they “can contribute to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus,” Sanderlin said.
These increased numbers of nitrogen and phosphorus are what causes spikes in algae growths, which then blocks sunlight and causes the grasses to die off.
With the increasing death rate of manatees this year coming as a surprise to officials, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the wave of mortalities a UME, also known as an Unusual Mortality Event.
This event has become a government involved issue, and many government-controlled, as well as nonprofit, organizations, are beginning to stronghold the investigations.
According to FWC, these deaths are a widespread concern over several areas of Florida, especially along the south Atlantic and central coasts of Florida. Officials are also focusing heavily on the Indian River Lagoon, near the southern coast of the state, as the environmental conditions here have stood out.
With there being only four manatee hospitals within the state, many are trying their best to rescue these manatees while they still can. Zoo Tampa is one of four hospitals that aids in rescuing the species and has found itself at nearly 95% capacity, as they continue to take on sick and injured manatees.
According to FWC’s preliminary rescue summary, they have rescued 77 manatees within the year, throughout several Florida counties. The organization encourages the public to play a part in rescuing these creatures while they can and asks that any reports of sick, injured, or even deceased manatees are made to the Wildlife Alert number, 1–888–404-FWCC (1–888–404–3922).
