Lee County manatee deaths rise, raising concerns for local ecosystems

CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Florida's gentle giants, the manatees, are facing a troubling rise in deaths in Lee County, according to new data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Between Feb. 13 and Feb. 20, 41 manatee deaths were documented, with 11 occurring on Feb. 19 alone. One of these deaths was confirmed as a result of a boat strike, and two were linked to cold stress.

Wildlife guides are observing these impacts as they unfold on the water.

"Oh my gosh. Manatees, as far as I am concerned, are one of the sweetest, greatest animals that we have," said Capt. Leah Williams of Crystal River Water Sports.

Williams expressed her fondness for manatees, referring to them as "the Labrador of the sea."

"They're very inquisitive. They're intelligent," she said. "They have their own little quirky sides to them."

Beyond their endearing nature, Williams emphasized the role manatees play in indicating the health of ecosystems.

"They are a good balance to tell us what's going on with nature and what's going on with our water systems and what's going on with our ecosystems," said Williams.

Their health serves as a report card for waterways.

"Some of the things that we're looking for is a very non-medical term, is peanut head, which means that our manatee is malnourished," said Williams. "We are seeing a lot of sea grass disappearing. Our hurricanes are not helping. We have storm surge."

Williams shared her concerns about habitat loss, which is occurring in real time.

"One of the other things that really is heartbreaking is when you see a manatee that has been struck by a boat," she said. "We have proved that going idle speed and having these speed restrictions is what has actually been the biggest improvement for our manatees."

In addition to boat strikes, Williams pointed to the recent issue of cold shock affecting manatees.

"We're looking for cold shock. We're looking for sores around their flippers, around their mouths, around their face, because these sores, it's kind of like a type of frostbite," she said.

Despite the challenges, Williams highlighted the importance of manatees in the ecosystem.

"They're a very important key species," she said. "They're all an important part of this ecosystem, our birds, our fish, our crabs, everything here, it's all a balance, and it needs to be protected."

For more information on manatee conservation efforts, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website.