Manatee mortality in the US state of Florida was abnormally high this year. As much as 10 percent of the total population has died in the past year. In an effort to save the animals from starvation, natural scientists are going to feed the animals, but that too is not without risk.
2021 was not the year of the manatee in Florida. Sanctuaries in the state are full of malnourished manatees, but the animals don’t look good in the waters either. The full layer of fat that normally characterizes a manatee has shrunk, the ribs are visible through the skin, and the animals seem to swim out of balance. As of October 8 alone, 968 animals have been found dead, an alarming increase compared to the 630 dead manatees a year ago. This was also well above 830, the previous record from 2013.
It’s all because of pollution in the Indian River Lagoon, scientists think. In winter, manatees like to graze in this 10,000-acre area because of the warm waters. Due to human waste, however, those large fields of seagrass have almost all disappeared. There is simply not enough food left for the 8800 manatees that still live in the area.
This unprecedented event must be fought with unprecedented actions
Unheard of actions
“This unprecedented event must be fought with unprecedented action,” Thomas Eason of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said yesterday. The committee has decided to test whether feeding the wild manatees can save the animals from starvation. “We hope they want to eat it,” Patrick Rose, director of the Save the Manatee Club, told New York Times. “We’re not sure if they’ll do that.”
The choice does not come without question. Feeding wild animals could do them more harm than good, scientists think. By feeding the animals lettuce and cabbage from boats, food they also get in shelters, the manatees could become dependent on humans. They could also become accustomed to boats, while about 85 manatees per year die from collisions.
Due to human waste, the manatees have much less to graze in the Indian River Lagoon:
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