Manatees are making a comeback in Florida

AccuWeather

Record manatee sightings have experts optimistic for the future, following years of habitat loss, a vanishing food supply and boat strikes in Florida.

Transcript

00:00 This is always 72 degree water, warm water for manatees.

00:04 Blue Spring State Park is a perfect protected haven for manatees.

00:09 We have a lot of calves this year, record number. We have over 90 calves which we've never had before.

00:14 So that is really, really encouraging.

00:17 A record of nearly 1,000 manatees made their way here in one day.

00:21 A possible turning point after years of struggles.

00:25 The habitat loss and the loss of food sources, especially along the Indian River Lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Florida.

00:30 We've seen a very large die-off in seagrasses and manatees were literally left without a food source.

00:35 Even with all of the challenges that Florida's manatees are facing right now,

00:39 these experts and researchers say the conservation work and these rescues and rehabilitations are paying off.

00:46 I am definitely feeling a lot better about it.

00:47 We've had fewer casualties over this past year, so that's a great sign that things are moving in the right direction.

00:53 And we just hope that progress is continuing to go forward.

00:57 Experts with SeaWorld and Save the Manatee Club say these gentle giants face a tough future.

01:04 A lot of people think, you know, if we have warmer waters, that's going to be great for manatees, which that is true.

01:09 However, we're also seeing stronger storms or stronger hurricanes, which is something that manatees are very sensitive to.

01:14 We are currently still in what we call a UME, an unusual mortality event, because of that lack of food.

01:21 So that is why anything we as humans can do to help protect our environment, help clean our environment,

01:28 allow that seagrass to regrow, that allows the manatees to come back in.

01:32 In Volusia County, Florida, for AccuWeather, I'm Bill Waddell.

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