Non-profit: as many as 30 manatees dead; protocols questioned

WINK News has learned critical new details in the deaths of more than two dozen manatees in Lee County.

According to the Save the Manatee Club, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told them as many as 30 manatees have now died in recent days, in part due to the dangerously cold conditions earlier this month across Southwest Florida.

WINK News is also working to confirm the exact number of manatee deaths.

FWC told WINK News that the agency "will not likely have updated numbers until Wednesday when our Mortality Reports get updated."

This latest development comes just one day after FWC confirmed 25 manatees were found dead between February 13 and February 18 at Manatee Park and along the Orange River. The park has since reopened.

Patrick Rose, the Executive Director of the Save the Manatee Club, tells WINK News that in a conversation with Florida Power & Light, he says the company told him that its facility could not operate as normal during the recent cold spell. He says protocols were in place if water temperatures dipped below 61 degrees, which he says in this instance the water temp did not drop that low.

"FPL did make an effort to provide auxiliary heating, but it also didn't happen as fast as they wanted to happen. It was about three days later than what they had hoped to do", Rose added "Whether or not that three days made the difference, I think will have to be looked at and investigated carefully."

FWC has previously noted that when water temperatures drop below 68 degrees, manatees in Florida seek refuge at springs, power plant discharge areas and other warm water sites.

Rose, who an aquatic biologist, is calling into question whether or not current protocols are sufficient.

WINK News reached out to FPL for comment about the manatee deaths and for response to Rose's comments. We received the following statement:

We are aware that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is investigating manatee deaths at Manatee Park. We are coordinating closely with the FWC. For more information about this incident, please contact the FWC.