Natacha Casal
•7/6/2026
A dead manatee has been discovered floating in the Caloosahatchee River near Fort Myers Shores, with residents reporting a foul smell in the area since Saturday.
Robert Anderson, a resident of Fort Myers Shores, said he initially thought the manatee was young but later realized it was a mature, full-sized animal.
"We initially reported that as a young or baby, and then now that two days have passed and it turned around, you get to see that it's a second full-size, mature manatee," Anderson said.
Anderson said he found the manatee Saturday morning and reported it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Upon closer inspection, he noted the animal was belly-up, covered in flies, and decaying in the water.
From his observations, Anderson said he did not see any visible scars or cuts on the manatee, leading him to suspect it may have died from natural causes or something in the water.
"I mean, I think a lot of anglers' concern is the spraying. You know, we're always thinking about the spraying that may be on the river and, and, you know, upriver, like in Lake Shelby and stuff. And, if that being a, they eat the grass, if that's, you know, any cause," Anderson said.
Dr. Beth Brady, director of science and conservation at Save the Manatee Club, said FWC typically performs a necropsy, an autopsy for animals, in such cases.
"And if the animal's too decomposed, particularly right now in this Florida summer heatwave we're having, sometimes you can't find out the results or the cause of the death of these animals," Brady said.
She added that the leading threats to manatees include human-related activities and harmful algal blooms, such as red tide.
FWC has been notified of the manatee's death and is investigating the incident.
To report a sick, injured, dead, tagged, orphaned, or distressed manatee to FWC, you can click here.
