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Florida’s Manatees Under Threat: Causes, Consequences, and Conservation

As Florida manatees face rising dangers from pollution, habitat loss, and climate change, experts urge stronger protections and urgent conservation action.

By Sneha Tete, Integrated MA, Certified Relationship Coach

Created on Sep 27, 2025

As Florida manatees face rising dangers from pollution, habitat loss, and climate change, experts urge stronger protections and urgent conservation action.

Florida’s Manatees Under Threat

Florida’s manatee population—often called the gentle giants of the state’s waterways—faces a mounting crisis. Despite their charismatic status and historic protections, these marine mammals are increasingly beset by starvation, pollution, habitat loss, and human activities. The past few years have seen record-breaking mortality, bringing renewed debate and urgency to efforts aimed at saving Florida’s iconic manatee.

Why Are Florida’s Manatees Iconic?

Manatees are large, aquatic mammals found in shallow coastal areas, rivers, and estuaries throughout Florida. Revered for their calm nature and crucial ecological role, they support healthy seagrass beds and maintain biodiversity in the region’s waters. Their appeal extends to conservationists, tourists, and residents alike, making their current plight an environmental headline in the state and beyond.

Main Causes of Manatee Decline

Multiple pressing threats have converged to cause population declines, notably:

Starvation due to Seagrass Loss
Water Pollution
Climate Change Effects
Boat Collisions
Loss of Warm-Water Habitat
Harmful Algal Blooms

Starvation and Seagrass Die-off

The most significant driver of manatee deaths has been the widespread loss of seagrass, their primary food source. Starting in late 2020 and intensifying through 2022, an “Unusual Mortality Event” (UME) saw more than 1,250 manatees perish, primarily by starvation near the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and other eastern Florida waters. Seagrass beds have suffered a 95% reduction since 2011 in key areas, largely due to harmful algal blooms fueled by excess nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and urban development. Without sufficient food, manatees became emaciated, impacting reproductive health and calf survival rates.

Climate change compounds this threat, as rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes further diminish seagrass areas. Projections suggest that by 2050, the Indian River Lagoon could lose up to 34% of its remaining seagrass habitat, exacerbating food shortages and endangering future generations of manatees.

Water Pollution and Algal Blooms

Waterways throughout Florida are increasingly tainted by nutrient excesses—especially nitrogen and phosphorus—from stormwater, fertilizers, and sewage effluent.
This pollution fosters “harmful algal blooms,” or explosions of phytoplankton, which cloud the water, block sunlight, and kill off underlying seagrass beds.
In some years, “red tide” neurotoxins from algal blooms have directly killed manatees by harming their respiratory and digestive systems.

Loss of Warm-Water Habitat

Manatees are sensitive to cold temperatures and rely on warm-water refuges during winter. Traditionally, natural springs served this purpose, but groundwater pumping, pollution, and construction have severely disrupted or destroyed many springs. Now, more than half of Florida’s manatees depend on the warm-water discharges from coastal power plants. As these plants retire or convert, manatees risk losing this crucial shelter, making them vulnerable to cold stress—a leading cause of mortality.

Boat Strikes and Human Harassment

Collisions with boats are a persistent and growing threat to manatees, whose slow movements and need to surface make them vulnerable to propellers and hulls. In 2019, vessel-related manatee deaths peaked at 137.
Human disturbance, especially in natural springs or feeding areas, alters manatee behavior, disrupts critical life processes, and exacerbates their stress and vulnerability.

Macroalgae Consumption

In areas where seagrass has vanished, manatees have turned to less-nutritious and sometimes harmful macroalgae. In the last two years, at least 10 manatee deaths were linked directly to eating macroalgae instead of native eelgrass, underscoring the severity of habitat loss.

Population Impacts and Recent Mortality Figures

The consequences of these threats have been dramatic:

Nearly 2,000 manatees died in 2021–2022 alone, accounting for over 20% of the known population—a historically high toll.
The Unusual Mortality Event (UME) was officially closed in March 2025, but annual mortality remains high and overall numbers have not fully rebounded.
Health assessments suggest some improvements in certain areas due to continued rescue and habitat intervention, such as increased sightings of cow-calf pairs. Yet the rate of stillborn calves remains high, and long-term recovery requires restoring healthy seagrass beds and clean water.
The Antillean population (in Puerto Rico) faces its own crisis, with possibly as few as 250 individuals left and extremely low genetic diversity, rendering it highly vulnerable to extirpation from disease, hurricanes, or further environmental stressors.

Protection Status Debate: Endangered vs. Threatened

In recent years, conservation advocates urged federal agencies to “uplist” the Florida manatee to “endangered” status under the Endangered Species Act, arguing that current threats and population losses merited stronger protections. Despite these pleas and ongoing risks, federal agencies have maintained the species’ “threatened” classification—citing ongoing monitoring, recent apparent stabilization in death rates, and disputed population survey data.

Many experts believe that leaving the Florida manatee at “threatened” fails to acknowledge the severity or urgency of current threats, particularly rampant seagrass loss due to poor water quality. Advocacy organizations continue to press for regulatory changes and legal action to compel stricter standards and better enforcement of pollution controls, boat speed zones, and habitat restoration.

Classification	Criteria for Change	Current Status
Endangered	Imminent risk of extinction; dramatic declines from historic population; ongoing severe threats	Not granted for Florida manatees (as of latest 2025 review); Antillean manatees proposed for uplisting
Threatened	Likely to become endangered in near future; moderate ongoing risk	Florida manatees remain “threatened” under federal rules

Conservation Strategies and Efforts

Government agencies and advocacy organizations have mobilized a comprehensive suite of strategies to counter manatee decline, including:

Population monitoring via aerial surveys, photo identification, and satellite-linked tracking
Rescue and rehabilitation for distressed manatees, especially during starvation events; between 2020–2022, 137 were rescued statewide
Habitat restoration, including replanting seagrass and efforts to reduce nutrient pollution driving its loss
Enforcing boat speed zones and expanding manatee protection areas to reduce watercraft strikes
Improving management of warm-water habitats: developing action plans for restoring springs and adapting to power plant retirements
Public education to reduce manatee harassment and raise awareness of the species’ ecological importance
Legal advocacy: Environmental groups are pushing for regulatory upgrades and, in some cases, have filed lawsuits against agencies for failing to enforce water quality standards

Recent Progress and Limitations

While the death rate has declined since the peak of the UME, experts warn this is “a milestone, not a victory”—the recovery remains fragile, and root causes are unresolved.
Some areas, like Brevard County, show improved physical condition among manatees and more sightings of mothers with calves, but recovery is patchy and dependent on habitat restoration.
Statewide, seagrass acreage continues to decline, with major losses reported in Biscayne Bay, the Panhandle, Tampa Bay, and the St. Johns River.
Climate change is accelerating the challenges, making restoration more difficult.

Looking Forward: Can Manatees Be Saved?

Experts agree that continued and expanded efforts to restore seagrass beds, combat water pollution, and secure adequate winter habitat are essential for the long-term survival of Florida’s manatees. Advocacy for stricter protections—including potential upgrades to “endangered” status—remains critical to mobilize resources and public support. Recent funding increases for rescue, research, and management have helped, but the persistence of underlying threats highlights the need for deeper policy change and active ecosystem repair.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Why are Florida’s manatees starving?

A: Starvation is driven primarily by the loss of native seagrass, their main food source. This decline stems mainly from excess nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms, which block sunlight and kill seagrass beds throughout key habitats like the Indian River Lagoon.

Q: Why aren’t manatees classified as ‘endangered’?

A: Although advocates and biologists have urged stronger protections, federal agencies have kept the Florida manatee listed as “threatened,” citing uncertainties in population surveys and recent declines in deaths after the peak unusual mortality event. However, many experts argue that current data and ongoing threats justify uplisting to “endangered”.

Q: What are the main threats to manatees aside from starvation?

A: Key threats include boat collisions, destruction of warm-water refuges, water pollution, cold stress, harassment by humans, and toxic algae blooms. All these factors reduce survival and reproductive success.

Q: What can be done to help manatees?

A: Solutions include restoring seagrass beds, improving water quality, enforcing speed limits for boats, expanding protection zones, rescuing and rehabilitating sick individuals, and raising public awareness. Addressing the root causes—nutrient pollution and habitat destruction—is fundamental for lasting recovery.

Q: Are manatees found anywhere outside Florida?

A: Yes, two main populations are recognized: the Florida manatee and the Antillean manatee in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The latter faces severe risk due to low genetic diversity and small population size.

How You Can Help

Support environmental organizations working on manatee rescue and advocacy.
Reduce fertilizer, lawn chemicals, and pollutants that run off into local waterways.
Follow boat speed zones and watch for manatees when boating.
Respect manatees in natural springs—avoid harassment or crowding.
Stay informed and advocate for stronger water quality regulations.

Key Takeaways

Florida’s manatees face unprecedented challenges from environmental decline, habitat loss, and human activity.
Restoring water quality and native seagrass habitats is essential for their survival.
Strong public support and regulatory action are needed for lasting recovery.

References

Author

Sneha TeteBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Sneha is a relationships and lifestyle writer with a strong foundation in applied linguistics and certified training in relationship coaching. She brings over five years of writing experience to thebridalbox, crafting thoughtful, research-driven content that empowers readers to build healthier relationships, boost emotional well-being, and embrace holistic living.

Read full bio of Sneha Tete