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Florida's manatee population is bouncing back, thanks to conservationists and a lot of salad. | Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

BIT OF JOY | Manatee deaths down

Published on March 28, 2025 at 10:27 am
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The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission celebrated Manatee Appreciation Day this week by sharing some good news. After an “Unusual Mortality Event” led to a big spike in starvation deaths starting in 2020, the FWC has declared the die-off officially over. The deaths were linked to the loss of seagrass in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, where many manatees spend the colder months. Part of the solution: Staff and volunteers fed the manatees at least 600,000 pounds of leafy greens over the course of two winters. The latest data show there have been no manatee deaths from starvation in the past two years, and manatees being tracked appear to be in better health.


author image Newsletter Writer email Heather Henderson is a writer, editor and artist who has lived in Jax for close to 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of North Florida.

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