The share of perinatal, or baby, manatees found dead this year in Florida is down to about 28% as of Nov. 29, a slight decline from early September’s 30%.
In all, 517 manatees have died this year; 144 of which were perinatal, according to the latest data available from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The decline is expected at this point in the year, because the peak of perinatal mortality usually coincides with calving season in late spring/summer, per FWC.
More baby manatees died so far in 2024 than in the previous two years. But that uptick could actually be a sign of recovery, showing more manatees are reproducing now, compared to 2021’s unusual mortality event. That year, 1,031 manatees died — twice as many as this year — and 106 were perinatal.
RELATED: More manatee babies are dying this year. FWC says it’s “not necessarily bad news”
“With manatee nutritional condition improving in 2023, reproduction also resumed,” FWC Marine Mammal Veterinarian Martine de Wit wrote in an email. “Reproductive cycles likely synchronized after several years of reproductive shutdown, causing a relatively larger percentage of adult females to become pregnant last year.”
Preliminary data show many new calves were born this year, according to de Wit.
“An increase in perinatal mortality can be expected with a return to reproduction, either through higher pregnancy numbers, more first-time mothers, or some females still dealing with metabolic recovery from chronic malnutrition,” de Wit wrote.
RELATED: U.S. plan doubles the acres designated as critical habitat for manatees in Florida
In Brevard County, where 17% of all dead manatees so far this year have been found, the share of perinatal mortality is significantly higher: 56%, compared to the statewide 28%. That’s also expected, per de Wit.
“Historically Brevard has been the number one county for perinatal mortality, which is probably related to manatee distribution and it being a popular calving area for manatees,” de Wit wrote.
FWC hopes to have more insight soon on health conditions for manatees in Brevard.
Copyright 2024 Central Florida Public Media
