Sadly, 800 manatees in Florida died in 2022, and the major cause was starvation due to the loss of seagrass beds. More than 1,000 manatees died in 2021 alone, marking the deadliest year on record for manatees living in the warm coastal waters off Florida. In the past two years, more than 25% of Florida’s manatee population has died.
Manatee deaths are climbing, and it’s clear that this towering Floridian icon needs our help. To make matters worse, red tide and harmful algal blooms, which are dangerous to manatees, could increase as the year progresses. Will you take action now by asking the United States Department of Interior to put the manatee back on the endangered species list?
When a species is listed as endangered, the federal and local governments put measures and regulations in place that protect imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend.
With voices like yours, we can work together to help protect one of the most beloved creatures of Florida and keep manatees around for generations to come.