Through the first eight months of 2022, more than 680 manatees in Florida have died, and the major cause is 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, and in the past 19 months, more than 20% of the state's manatee population has died.
Manatee deaths are skyrocketing, 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, together we can help protect one of the most beloved creatures of Florida and keep manatees around for generations to come.
