FPL power plant shutdown may be tied to increased manatee deaths in Lee County

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

Questions remain about how 25 manatees died in the span of days in Lee County. Eighteen of those were found dead at Manatee Park.

FWC says they found the manatees at the park and in the Orange River between Feb. 13 and Feb. 18.

"That seems like a huge number," said Joey Nelson.

Joey Nelson takes kayakers out on the water every day to catch a glimpse of our beloved sea cows.

Owner of Island Breeze Kayak and Paddle Board Rental, Joey Nelson, takes kayakers out on the water every day to see our local sea cows. However, now there will be fewer to see swimming after 25 of them died in Lee County in just six days.

"I wasn't super surprised, because I know the water has just been like super cold. But I was devastated. It's heartbreaking. Everybody loves manatees," said Nelson.

Manatee Park is a magnet for guests who want to see manatees, but visitors were blocked from the park on Thursday for hours. FWC crews pulled 18 dead manatees that day from the waters.

During Florida's cooler months, manatees in the Orange River often head to Manatee Park to warm up by the Florida Power & Light (FPL) power plant. The cold-water can be life-threatening when water temperatures drop below 68 degrees.

According to a statement on Friday from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the unplanned shutdown of a nearby FPL power plant may have impacted mortality levels in Lee County. FWC said the power plant is back to full operation.

"They don't have a thick blubber layer like we think of with most whales. They don't have a thick layer of fur as we think with some of our seals. And so they're really terrible at keeping themselves warm," said Dr. Matt Ware.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Officials believe these manatees died due to cold stress.

Gulf Coast News spoke with FGCU conservation biologist Dr. Matt Ware, who says manatees looking for food can take a toll.

"They're not feeding as well as they could during the summer. If you have those, you know, sufficient energy stores, you can tolerate potentially a longer stay inland, kind of ride out these cold snaps. But if you can't, if you're hungry going into the winter, there's only so many resources available to you to try to sustain yourself during these cold snaps," said Ware.

Anyone who sees an injured, distressed, sick or dead manatee can report it to the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so trained responders can assist.

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