Florida manatees are dying in droves this year. Experts blame poor water quality, starvation.
Florida manatees are dying in droves this year. Experts blame poor water quality, starvation.
Chad Gillis
Fort Myers News-Press
February 27, 2021
FORT MYERS, Fla. – It's already been a deadly year for Florida manatees.
More sea cows deaths have been documented through the first two months of the year than were recorded during those same two months in 2019 and 2020 combined, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records...
Manatee advocates confirmed the die-off, saying it's another example of poor water quality.
"It’s something we’ve never really seen before," said Pat Rose, director of the Save the Manatee Club. "It looks like we have a substantial number of manatees that are starving."
The theory is that sea grass losses there the past few decades have left manatees with too little food to survive.
"It’s disgusting," said Indian Riverkeeper Mike Conner. "I thought about it and talked to the guides and they fully believe it’s a case of starvation." It's another example of a state that's increasingly dealing with water quality issues, from blue-green algae to red tide and brown algae, Conner said.
More here
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/27/florida-manatee-deaths-way-up-2021-experts-blame-water-quality/6817814002/
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