MANATEES

The signs show a toilet draining directly into the lagoon, with a dead manatee, a sea turtle and a few fish.

Florida manatees are showing signs of improvement in the third winter of what state wildlife officials are calling an unusual mortality event.

A new record has been set for manatees gathering in Blue Spring State Park

Two state leaders are energizing efforts to clean the waters of the Indian River Lagoon in an attempt to save dying marine life.

Manatee deaths dropped in 2022 from a record high the year before, but Florida wildlife officials said Wednesday that chronic starvation caused by water pollution remains a major concern.

Florida wildlife officials say manatees are showing good signs at the temporary feeding station in Brevard County so far.

More than six dozen threatened manatees are currently in rehabilitation centers in Florida and elsewhere amid a chronic starvation problem caused by water pollution.

2021 marked a record-breaking year for manatee deaths, the majority of which were in the Indian River Lagoon.

While 2022 did not prove to be as deadly for Florida’s manatees as 2021, researchers said the animals are still in trouble, especially in the Indian River Lagoon.

The St. Johns River’s temperature is still in the 50s, and that means manatees continue to pile into nearby Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County.

ORANGE CITY, Fla. — Tuesday at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, the line of cars to see the natural phenomenon was at least a mile long. And thanks to the colder weather, manatees have also flocked to the springs to keep warm. The St. Johns River is sitting around 50 degrees, forcing the manatees to swim to Blue Spring, where the water is 72 degrees. For visitors like the Beaudin family, the manatees were easy to notice at Blue Spring State Park. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Blue Spring manatee viewing Blue Spring manatee viewingClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Wildlife crews are making sure Florida’s manatee population is safe after the recent cold snap. In South Florida, some “sea cows” were seen gathered in warm water near a power plant in West Palm Beach. Read: Manatees huddle together as the cold weather moves through FloridaWarm water is crucial for the creatures to survive and thrive. The manatee protections include “no-entry” zones to keep boats out of the warm waters that attract manatees in the winter. Read: Florida manatee feeding program restarts to help ease starvation crisis, wildlife officials sayThe protections come after the state partnered with the U.S.

The drop in temperatures means colder water, and more manatees coming to Blue Spring State Park seeking a warm spot.

During the 2021-2022 winter, 202,000 pounds of lettuce were fed to manatees, with nearly $117,000 spent on the project.

Three manatees who spent months in the care of specialists at SeaWorld Orlando after being rescued are back home in the Florida Keys.

State wildlife officials Wednesday approved a seasonal no-entry zone in an area of Brevard County waters where manatees gather, while preparing for a second winter of feeding the sea cows to try to prevent deaths.

Lettuce will be on the menu again this year for Florida manatees in an effort to slow the starvation deaths of the beloved marine mammals.

Hoping to protect manatees as they congregate this winter, state wildlife officials issued an emergency rule that will temporarily prevent boating in an area of the Indian River Lagoon near a Florida Power & Light power plant.

After 18 months of rehabilitation at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, three orphaned manatees are ready to return to their native Central Florida waters.

Animal care workers helped transport a manatee back to the wild on Thursday after six months of rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando.

A manatee from Volusia County is getting help after being found injured in the Intercoastal Waterway.

In the wake of the worst year for manatee deaths on record, Florida wildlife officials last week found yet another potential killer of the threatened species in the Indian River Lagoon — red tide.

U.S. wildlife officials have agreed to revise the critical habitat designation for Florida manatees, which have been dying in record numbers because water pollution is killing a main food source.

Memorial Day weekend is considered by some to be the unofficial start of summer and, by no coincidence, a great time to get back in the water. Unfortunately, according to conservationists and wildlife officials, manatees have similar plans.

Some 537 manatees have died in 2022 so far, the majority of which were found in the Indian River Lagoon.

The experimental feeding designed to help starving manatees in the Indian River Lagoon came to an end Friday.

March 31 is known as Manatee Appreciation Day.

SeaWorld is doubling the size of its Manatee Critical Care space.

The experimental program to feed Florida manatees starving because water pollution is destroying their natural food has topped 55 tons of lettuce, wildlife officials said Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (Rebecca Blackwell)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — More than 55 tons of lettuce have been fed to starving Florida manatees as part of an experimental program to help the slow-moving marine mammals since their natural food is being destroyed by water pollution, wildlife officials said Wednesday. “That's a substantial amount,” said Ron Mezich, feeding program coordinator for the Florida wildlife commission. “We're not solving the seagrass issue in a year," said Tom Reinert of the Florida wildlife commission. Officials say most distressed manatees in Florida are reported by people who spot them and call a state hotline at 888-404-3922.

Officials have now fed more than 55 tons of lettuce to starving Florida manatees as part of an experimental program to help the animals since their natural food is being destroyed by water pollution.

More than 80 rescued Florida manatees are in rehabilitation centers across the U.S. as wildlife officials try to stem starvation deaths by the marine mammals because of poor water quality.

As bad as this year’s manatee deaths seem, for the moment, at least, last year was way worse.

The Volusia County Manatee Watch program teaches volunteers what to look for when observing manatees.

SeaWorld is ramping up its efforts to help Florida's manatees.

The unprecedented human effort to feed starving Florida manatees has so far provided the lovable marine mammals with more than 25 tons of lettuce.

Crews have their hands full trying to save manatees as the cold weather drops and food problems in the Indian River Lagoon continue.

Central Florida wildlife researchers are asking for your help keeping an eye on manatees.

The SeaWorld theme park in Orlando is opening new pools to care for Florida manatees that are dying because of starvation due to poor water quality in their normal habitat.

FWC workers provided an update on the manatee Unusual Mortality Event Wednesday.

Environmental groups say Florida’s manatees are dying at a record rate and need federal protection for their seaside habitat.

A program to feed manatees facing starvation in Florida is starting to show some positive results. Manatee feeding stations have been placed around the state, but the marine mammals were not showing much interest. READ: ‘It’s heartbreaking’: What’s being done to curb record manatee deathsOn Friday, officials with Florida Fish and Wildlife shared video of manatees using the stations to eat lettuce that was given to them. FWC teams found groups of munching manatees eating the vegetation that was provided to them for the first time on Thursday. Florida state and federal law makes it illegal for people to feed manatees on their own.

Officials said they observed manatees showing up at the temporary field response station in Cocoa Thursday, where a supplemental feeding trial is set up to give the manatees lettuce.

The Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival returns to Orange City this weekend, and the weather is expected to be perfect for it.

Wildlife officials in Volusia County said Friday they are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to participate in upcoming Manatee Watch events in February.

An unprecedented, experimental attempt to feed manatees facing starvation in Florida has started slowly but wildlife officials expressed optimism it will work as cold weather drives the marine mammals toward warmer waters. That brought about the lettuce feeding program, part of a joint manatee death response group led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. “We expect that to happen.”In addition to the feeding experiment, officials are working with a number of facilities to rehabilitate distressed manatees that are found alive. It's been a huge amount of work to date.”There are a minimum of 7,520 manatees in Florida waters currently, according to state statistics. That's better than feeding manatees personally, which does more harm than good because the animals will associate humans with food, according to officials.

An unprecedented, experimental attempt to feed manatees facing starvation in Florida has started slowly but wildlife officials expressed optimism it will work as cold weather drives the marine mammals toward warmer waters.

Florida reported 1,101 manatee deaths in 2021, marking the highest number of deaths in a single year.

Three conservation groups have filed formal notice of their intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency if it doesn't take steps to protect manatees from water pollution in Florida.

More than 1,050 manatees have died in Florida so far this year, a little less than double the number killed in 2020.

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) (Lynne Sladky)BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Wildlife officials and Florida Power & Light Company created a temporary field response station in an effort to address the unusual manatee mortality event along Florida’s Atlantic coast. The response station will support several unusual manatee mortality event response operations already underway in the central Indian River Lagoon, such as manatee rescues, carcass recovery, and limited field health assessments, wildlife officials said. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they also approved staff to conduct a short-term feeding trial, referred to by many as supplemental feeding. READ: Brevard Zoo collecting donations to establish dedicated manatee rescue teamThe goal of the feeding trial is to reduce manatee mortality and to reduce the number of animals in need of rescue, officials said. The goal of this action is to reduce manatee mortality.

Manatees are starving and dying in record numbers in Florida, particular in the Indian River Lagoon where there is a massive loss of seagrass.

Normally giving food to wild animals is considered off limits, but the dire situation in Florida with more than 1,000 manatees dying from starvation due to manmade pollution is leading officials to consider an unprecedented feeding plan. Fish and Wildlife Service and state environmental officials intend to unveil a limited proposal this week to feed the beloved marine mammals in one specific Florida location to test how it works. The club was co-founded in 1981 by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet and former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. The emerging plan would involve feeding manatees at a Florida Power & Light plant in Cape Canaveral, along the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast where manatees congregate in cold winter months because of the warm water discharge from the plant. “Under no circumstances do we want people feeding manatees.

Normally giving food to wild animals is considered off limits, but the dire situation in Florida with more than 1,000 manatees dying from starvation due to manmade pollution is leading officials to consider an unprecedented feeding plan. Fish and Wildlife Service and state environmental officials intend to unveil a limited proposal this week to feed the beloved marine mammals in one specific Florida location to test how it works. The club was co-founded in 1981 by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet and former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. The emerging plan would involve feeding manatees at a Florida Power & Light plant in Cape Canaveral, along the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast where manatees congregate in cold winter months because of the warm water discharge from the plant. “Under no circumstances do we want people feeding manatees.

Dying Manatees FILE - A manatee comes up for air is it swims in the Stranahan River, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 2, 2020. More than 1,000 manatees have died in Florida so far in 2021, eclipsing a previous record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to polluted waters. The club was co-founded in 1981 by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet and former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. The emerging plan would involve feeding manatees at a Florida Power & Light plant in Cape Canaveral, along the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast where manatees congregate in cold winter months because of the warm water discharge from the plant. “Under no circumstances do we want people feeding manatees.

Dying Manatees FILE - A manatee comes up for air is it swims in the Stranahan River, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 2, 2020. More than 1,000 manatees have died in Florida so far in 2021, eclipsing a previous record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to polluted waters. The club was co-founded in 1981 by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet and former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. The emerging plan would involve feeding manatees at a Florida Power & Light plant in Cape Canaveral, along the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast where manatees congregate in cold winter months because of the warm water discharge from the plant. “Under no circumstances do we want people feeding manatees.

After a record year of manatee deaths in Florida, U.S. wildlife agencies approved experimental feeding on Monday.

Dying Manatees FILE - A manatee comes up for air is it swims in the Stranahan River, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 2, 2020. More than 1,000 manatees have died in Florida so far in 2021, eclipsing a previous record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to polluted waters. The 1,003 manatee deaths so far in 2021 is many more than the 637 recorded last year and well above the previous mark of 830 set in 2013. "Manatees are in serious trouble," ZooTampa at Lowry Park, one of four main manatee critical care centers in Florida, said in a statement Wednesday. The wildlife commission estimates there are currently about 7,500 manatees, also known as sea cows, living in Florida waters.

The record number of manatee deaths has started impacting businesses that rely on manatee sightings.

Manatees are starving to death because algae blooms and contaminants are killing the seagrass the beloved sea mammals eat.

Nearly 960 manatees have died this year in Florida, according to the latest data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A record-shattering number of sea cows have died this year.

Wildlife officers say hundreds of manatees have died across Florida already this year and most of those deaths happened in the Indian River Lagoon.

The current manatee die-off could top 1,000 by year’s end, experts say, threatening to reverse the fragile recovery the species has made in recent decades.

click to enlarge screengrab via Save the Manatees/YouTubeHey, Florida boaters: stop. Please just stop. Stop mowing down our plump, precious sea cow friends every time you want to go out for a cruise.Just the other day, the beloved Dix was struck and killed at Blue Springs State Park. There had only been 59 manatees deaths caused by watercraft in the same time period last year.The population numbers for manatees are improving. Manatees were recently downgraded from endangered to threatened, but we have to keep protecting Florida's favorite marine mammal if we want it to stay that way.

click to enlarge screengrab via Save the Manatees/YouTubeDix the manatee, one of the stars of Blue Spring State Park, was recently found dead in DeLand, just north of the springs.After assessing her injuries, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that she died from an acute watercraft collision.Dix rose to fame by bringing three calves into the Blue Spring area, fearlessly hanging around an alligator, and being an overall friendly creature adored by visitors and locals alike.The death of this popular manatee highlights an escalating problem: More manatees than usual are getting struck and killed by boats.According to the FWC, Volusia County has the third highest watercraft-related manatee death rate in Florida, behind only Lee and Broward counties. Over 120 manatees died because of collisions in 2018, according to the FWCs manatee mortality report "The number of manatees getting hit by boats this year has really gone up. Overall, we had 300 manatees being killed this year, and out of those, 81 of those manatees were killed by boats," Cora Bercham of the Save the Manatee Club said to Spectrum News As manatee populations increase in Blue Spring and surrounding areas, watercraft-related manatee deaths also increase, according to Berchem. Summer is when manatees migrate, so they are not as concentrated in springs as they are during manatee season.

Manatees trapped in drainage pipe Rescue workers are attempting to rescue about a dozen manatees that got trapped in a drainage pipe in Florida.

Nature: Manatees in Blue Spring State Park We leave you this morning swimming with the manatees at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City, Florida.