Wildlife

Starving Manatees Gain Some Relief

Wildlife officials working to prevent threatened Florida manatees from starving to death say they’re encouraged that some of the marine mammals’ favorite food is growing naturally in a key area.

Seagrasses have been found growing recently in small areas of the Indian River Lagoon along Florida’s east coast where chronic pollution has wiped out much of it, officials said.

The lack of seagrass forage during winter months has triggered an unprecedented die-off of manatees, including a record of more than 1,100 last year. The deaths recorded so far in 2022 are at 551, according to commission statistics.

The FWC and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in March completed an experimental program that fed manatees more than 202,000 pounds (91,600 kilograms) of donated lettuce near a power plant where the animals gather during colder months. Officials say a similar program is in the works for the coming winter.

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