IRLNews:2021-04-01/Indian River Lagoon Manatee Mortality Update
From Indian River Lagoon Project
Indian River Lagoon Manatee Mortality
April 1, 2021
Indian River Lagoon -
The Indian River Lagoon's population of West Indian Manatees is dying at an alarming rate. Florida normally averages 129 manatee deaths a year, but as of March 26, 2021, a record 573 deceased manatees have been reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) this year.[1]
In 2016 there were an estimated 8,810 Florida manatees, 4,810 on the west coast and 4,000 on the east coast.[2] Manatees were reclassified from an endangered to a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act in May, 2017.
254 (63%) of Florida's total reported manatee deaths were within the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary watershed.[3]
In the first 85 days of 2021 Brevard County citizens reported 248 manatee deaths to FWC Wildlife Hotline at (888) 404-3922.
{Location: Estuary: Indian River Lagoon: Florida East Coast
Source:
Article Published by Indian River Lagoon News on April 01, 2021. Retrieved on April 01, 2021.
Topic: Wildlife
- ↑ FWC 2021 Preliminary Manatee Mortality Table (PDF 14pp 562KB), retrieved on 2021-04-01.
- ↑ Updated Statewide Abundance Estimates for the Florida Manatee (PDF 27pp), ISSN 1930-1448, page 5, retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ↑ FWC 2021 YTD Manatee Mortality Table (PDF 1p 113KB), retrieved 2021-03-07
