841 manatees have died in Florida waters from January to mid-year, according to data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The figure surpasses the record of 830 manatees that died throughout 2013 and is much higher than the 637 deaths that were recorded in 2020 .
Many of the animals have starved to death due to the loss of seagrass, on which they feed. “An unprecedented mortality of manatees was documented on the Atlantic coast last winter and spring due to starvation,” they say from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) in statements to Newsweek . “Most of the deaths occurred during the colder months when manatees migrated to and through the Indian River Lagoon, where most of the seagrasses have died.” According to the Institute, the long-term effects of “prolonged starvation” on the remaining manatees are still unknown.
Reducing seagrass has been attributed to pollution caused by man. This pollution, such as fertilizer runoff and sewage leaks , causes algae blooms in the water. “The Indian River Lagoon has experienced devastating losses of seagrasses in which more than 90% of the seagrass biomass has been destroyed by severe and repeated harmful algal blooms as a result of decades of nutrient contamination from incoming human waste. into the IRL (Indian River Lagoon) through groundwater from septic drainage fields, poorly treated sewage from municipal treatment facilities, and stormwater runoff containing fertilizers and other pollutants, ”Patrick Rose, biologist, explains to Newsweek Aquatic and Executive Director of the Save the Manatee Club.
Recreational boats are also responsible for the death of what are also known as sea cows. According to the FWRI 63 deaths so far this year were the result of them.
Manatee are mammals that can weigh more than 500 kilos (Antilleans are around 200-300 kilos. North Americans are heavier still) and, although they may resemble fat dolphins or small whales, they are not related to any of them. they have a common ancestor with elephants . Their forelimbs are fin-shaped and have five fingers with their corresponding nails. From behind they have a tail that looks like a spatula and that differentiates them from other sirenians such as dugongs.
As mammals, manatees rise to the surface every so often to breathe. These animals are herbivores , feeding on submerged and floating plants in fresh or salty waters.
