Natacha Casal
•7/7/2026
A dead manatee was found Saturday morning in the water near Fort Myers Shores, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists are investigating to determine the cause of death.
Molly Lugge, an FWC biologist, said the agency responded after receiving a call from local residents.
"So a of couple days ago we got a call from the citizens here about a dead manatee in their backyard. We responded to they collected some samples, did a necropsy, and those samples will be analyzed, and the report will be reviewed by our veterinarian," Lugge said.
The manatee has since been removed, but Shaun Anderson, a resident of Fort Myers Shores, said this is not the first time a manatee has washed up in the area this summer.
"It's pretty sad. I mean, it's like, you know, the second one we've seen. I don't know why they keep turning up like that, but I mean, it's not a good sight. Anyone wouldn't like to see," Anderson said.
Lugge explained that necropsies are the best way to determine the cause of death for manatees.
"We cut open the animal, we look at every organ, see what could be going on. Anything abnormal, what looks abnormal? And then we collect those samples and they're shipped off for analysis," Lugge said.
She added that it can take time to determine the cause of death.
According to FWC records, 94 manatees have died in Lee County in 2026 from Jan. 1 to June 26, and it doesn't include this death. Lee County has the most manatee deaths in Florida followed by Brevard County with 46 deaths. In the state, there have been 365 total deaths this year.
Lugge noted that the leading threats to manatees are human-related activities and harmful algal blooms, such as red tide, though the Gulf Coast is not currently experiencing red tide conditions.
