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Manatee Extinction

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Manatee Extinction

About

Contact

About

Contact

Manatee Extinction

A report by Claire Brisson

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The Problem

Manatees are quickly declining everyday due to their waters being polluted, reducing their food supply and starving them, boat strikes cutting and slicing their bodies, water temperatures changing and so much more!

Are Manatees Endangered? Conservation Status, Threats, How to Help

Chart: Florida Manatee Deaths Break Record Halfway Through 2021 | Statista

Four Years Ago Manatees Were Declared No Longer Endangered. Now They Are Dying At A Record Pace

Four years after being downgraded from endangered to threatened, Florida manatees are now dying at an alarming rate, with a record number of deaths in 2021. Many of the animals are being rescued in extremely poor condition, suffering from severe starvation and illness, highlighting a growing crisis for the species.

The primary cause of this die-off is the loss of seagrass, the manatee’s main food source, especially in the Indian River Lagoon. Pollution from fertilizers and wastewater has fueled harmful algae blooms that block sunlight, killing seagrass and leaving manatees with little to eat. Other threats like red tide, habitat loss, and boat strikes also contribute to their decline.

Experts argue that the decision to downlist manatees in 2017 may have been premature, as warning signs of habitat decline were already present. The reduced urgency in protections and conservation efforts may have worsened the situation, and some officials are now pushing to restore endangered status while emergency actions focus on saving the remaining population.

https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-09-13/four-years-ago-manatees-were-declared-no-longer-endangered-now-they-are-dying-at-a-record-pace

Harmful Algae Bloom are Reducing Seagrass Growth

The Indian River Lagoon, which stretches from Brevard County to Palm Beach County, is one of the most important places for manatees to live. The water is warm and slightly salty, and it used to have lots of seagrass, which manatees eat. This made it a safe place for them, especially in the winter when cold water can be dangerous.

But in recent years, pollution from things like fertilizers and septic tanks has caused harmful algae to grow. This blocks sunlight and kills the seagrass. Since 2009, more than half of the seagrass in some parts of the lagoon has disappeared, and in some areas almost all of it is gone. Because of this, manatees don’t have enough food. When it gets cold, they have to choose between staying and starving or leaving and possibly freezing.

Things got really bad in early 2021. Many manatees started dying, and rescue teams were getting calls almost every day. Between December 2020 and May 2021, 677 manatees died, which was the highest number ever recorded in that time. Many were very thin and sick. Some were rescued and moved to safer places because the lagoon had become too dangerous for them.

https://blog.nwf.org/2023/07/manatees-and-meadows-the-remarkable-seagrass-habitats-of-the-florida-panhandle/

Boat Strikes

Manatees share waterways with thousands of watercraft’s. This leads to very common collisions between boats and manatees. Resulting in a 20%-25% rate in causes of mortalities to manatees. Many do survive these strikes but it results in permanent scaring on their bodies.

Manatees stay close to the surface and tend to stay in shallow areas to reach for seagrass and other nutrition. And due to their lack of ability to swim fast boat strikes tend to be inevitable.

Manatees Are Frequently Hit and Injured By Boats In Florida - The Dodo

Manatees Vs. Dugongs

1. Manatees live in rivers and coastal areas, while dugongs live only in the ocean.

2. Manatees are often hurt by boats, while dugongs are more affected by fishing nets.

3. Manatees need warm water to survive, but dugongs need seagrass to eat.

4. Manatees are protected by boat speed laws and rescue programs.

5. Dugongs are protected by fishing rules and marine protected areas.

6. Manatee populations in Florida have increased, but dugongs are still declining in many places.

7. Pollution harms manatees, while habitat loss harms dugongs more.

8. Both animals reproduce slowly, so their populations grow very slowly.

9. Manatees get more public attention and tourism support than dugongs.

10. Climate change affects both species by damaging their habitats.

https://www.wildlifenomads.com/blog/dugong-facts/

SOLUTION!

The Save the Manatee Club helps rescue manatees that are sick, injured, or in danger. Trained teams carefully find and transport them to special care centers, where experts give them food, medicine, and treatment to help them heal. Different organizations work together to make sure the manatees get help as quickly as possible.

Once the manatees recover, they go through rehabilitation to regain their strength. When they are healthy and ready, they are released back into the wild. This process helps protect manatees and gives them a better chance to survive in their natural environment.

You can go to their website to learn more and Donate or warn them about an injured Manatee you want to help!

https://savethemanatee.org/about/rescue-and-rehabilitation/

Sources

https://www.dugongconservation.org/https://www.ifaw.org/animals/dugongs https://www.seacology.org/2020/05/manatees-and-dugongs-saving-serene-sirenians

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

https://myfwc.com/research/manatee/rescue-mortality-response

https://www.fws.gov/species/manatee-trichechus-manatus

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/ecology-and-conservation-of-the-sirenia/threats